Eternity Sealed Away
by ErinNovelist
Summary: As the daughter of Yugi Moto, I'm told that I'm an exact duplicate of my father. Now is my time to prove it. Evil threatens the present, and I must go on a journey to retrieve the one person who can save us all. His name is Atem and he's in the Afterlife.
1. Introduction

**Authors Note; This is my first story here - Please give me critique and feedback.**

There was a rainy morning when my father was mourning the loss of his friend, the part of himself whom he had voluntarily set free. It was a hard time to move on from. But it was that morning he realized what he had done.

Yugi Muto wandered aimlessly through the halls of Domino High School as the rain pounded against the glass windows that lined the west hallway. His tri-colored, extremely extravagant hair featuring multiple layers including long blond crooked, pointy locks for his fringe and five large spikes colored black with a magenta sheen along the edges fell into his small face as he let out an audible sigh. He had never felt so alone before. Not since he had accomplished the task of piecing together the Millennium Puzzle. But when the Pharaoh was sealed away in the spirit realm; Yugi was left as a normal being.

"He is in a better place," Yugi remarked to himself. "It is the end of the journey for him, but a new beginning for me."

Yugi shook his head and continued to walk down the hallway in silence. His footstep reverberated off of the bare, ivory-colored walls. Absent mindedly fingering the collar of his blue uniform jacket, Yugi turned his attention to the window of the school. The rain pelted the transparent glass, and, as the wind hollowed in the distance, a small smile found his way to his face.

_The Pharaoh may have left him - but he had set his spirit free._

That was the time when my father truly moved on. And time passed - the days turning into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, and the years flew into a decade.

There used to be a time when Duel Monsters meant everything to my father. When the world was a mystery waiting to be solved. When life was just meant to be lived with the purest eyes and most innocent heart. There used to be a time when my father was part of a whole – but, eventually, there came a time when my father became a whole. There was a time that came upon my father that made him realize his journey had yet to be finished and that he was now complete, ready to face life alone. I never knew of what came upon my father and his friends earlier on in their lives, late adolescent. But, time passed and the meaning of what came had happened long ago - but it was not forgotten for my father carried on the memory of what became of that man. The man with whom he had shared part of a whole with. And it was that man who saved my father countless times. And it was that man whom my father saved countless times from an eternity of darkness. You know what they all say. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. But, my father's case did not require any object or being in return for another. The pure soul that had taken in this wayward spirit and helped him, asking for nothing in return. And that man who was the kind-heart was my father. He asked for nothing in return for when the man whom he helped threw his troubles of my father. Yet, he helped him even more than you could grasp while the man willing and determined in return helped my father. They were all part of one another. My father. The man.

And that man's name was Atem.

I never was told of my father's history with his friends: Tea Gardener (Yugi's wife and my mother); Tristian Taylor (he happens to be married to Serenity Wheeler - Joey Wheeler's little sister); and Joey Wheeler (he happens to be married to Mai Valentine now - and, my father named me after him because Joey happened to be Yugi's best friend). And I especially was not told of my father's long lost friend - everyone's friend - Atem, even if I was named after him. I bared the Great Pharaoh's name _backwards. _Time passed – allowing me to be born. My name is Meta Joey Moto. And I am the daughter of Yugi Moto – the King Of Games.

Meta Moto. A ring to it, eh?

I was never told of the past - but I was part of it. I was the link between all of them, the backbone so to say. I was the living proof of all that had been accomplished. Though, my parents never told me of their days as teenagers, when the Millennium Puzzle was bestowed upon my father or when Marik began his world domination conquest or when Atem changed all of their lives and they changed his.

But how do I know that all this existed? Well, whatever you ask, know that this is my story. My biography, or in this case, my autobiography of how I became that link of the past and the future. How I became part of that past. How I was written into a particular piece of history. How I became what I was.

My name is Meta, daughter of the King of Games, missing link to the Great Egyptian Pharaoh Atem, and the piece of history that grasped together the past and distant future.

And this is my story. This is the present.


	2. Dawn Of Duel

**Author's Note ; Alright, this is just an introductory chapter. It just tells of what is going on now. Also, if you cannot picture Meta - do what my friend does. Picture a black haired Serenity Wheeler, only taller, longer hair, more determined and confident!**

It was an early morning - the sun barely showing far beyond the horizon as its warm rays reached into my room through the transparent glass of my window. The dark of night was receding as the light of day arrived. With my deep, violet eyes, I gazed up at my white ceiling in wonder and arose from the bed. Over the course of fifteen years, I had resided in the home above the Game Shop where my father used to live before he and my mother, Tea Gardener, moved away to the heart of Domino City until, sadly, my great - grandfather, Solomon Moto, passed away when I turned two years of age. From then on, my father, Mom, and I moved into the little home above the Game Shop which my father now ran. Except, when the King Of Games ran the Duel Monsters shop - it became pretty popular.

"Meta?" a voice called from outside my door. "Are you awake?"

It was my father, Yugi Moto. When I reached twelve years old, I began to attract interest in Duel Monsters and investigated the fact of my father being the King of Games around my age. When I saw the pictures of him at sixteen, they were a drastic change of the Yugi I know. Twenty years ago - Yugi was barely five foot one, high voice, and fashion style of the simple, blue, school uniform. Aside from the growth spurt he endured in his senior year of high school that left him standing six feet, two inches, Yugi had changed even more. His voice went deeper ( talk about a late bloomer ); and his fashion style turned to black clothes, chains, and chokers ( do not get confused - Dad is not goth, he does not look like that, he is rather stylish). Unknown to the rest of the world - Yugi was the young, hip father any one could want.

"It is all right, Dad," I responded and quickly changed into my school uniform - a pink shirt, blue skort ( yes, I wear skorts, not those frilly girl skirts they preferred us to wear - Mom always said I take after my dad's style ). "Come in, Dad. I am dressed."

Yugi slowly entered the room - his tri-colored spike still standing tall after almost two decades. "Meta, are you ready for school?"

I nodded and ran a brush through my tangled, pure black hair. All said I was the exact duplicate of my father. My tom boy style. My pure, violet eyes. My rave hair ( sure, I do not have the blonde nor crimson streaks, yet, I received his coloring ). And that is not all. The determination. The big heart. The kind and humble attitude. And the pure soul.

"Yes, Dad," I answered as he chuckled softly in response.

"Always prepared, eh?" Yugi remarked. "Reminds me of your mother."

"You are telling me," I commented with a smile. "Every one always tells me - 'You are your father's daughter, except for that direct confidence of your mom!' "

"And they're right," Yugi retorted. "When I was your age, I was the short, shy one. I mean, for a while I did not have any friends except for your mother. But then -"

"I know, your wish to have friends came true like magic. Hell, you changed Joey from a mean gangster to a soft underdog," I said with a small laugh.

"Who told you that?" Yugi inquired with confusion.

"Kaiba," I replied automatically. "I mean, he even admitted that you changed him from a power hungry man... to an even less power hungry man."

"He said that?"

"Actually he told me that you changed him for the better and saved his butt a few good hundred times," I responded. "You are a real life hero, Dad."

"We raised you well," Yugi commented as he ushered me down the stairs. "Now, you better hurry to school."

"Right," I said. "See you tonight. Wish me luck in the Duel Monsters tournament in History class today!"

"Good luck, Meta," Yugi called with a smile. "Let's see how you do."

"It is only my first time," I answered with a chuckle. "I will be happy in I even have half the talent you have."

"Love you, Meta. Good bye!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Same, same, Dad!" I called back over my shoulder.

As I exited the Game Shop, my hand come in contact with my Duel Monsters deck in my pocket. A gift from my parents. Each had given me cards that they had thrown together on my fifteenth birthday two months ago - the age that I they allowed me to join the extravagant Duel Monsters tournaments. Blame my mother for making me wait. She always said for some odd reason that if I start at a later age - Duel Monsters would not rule my life. Like they did to hers and my fathers. I never knew what they had meant. I sighed and pulled out my four favorite cards from my skort and let out a small smile. Dad had given me two monsters cards from his days in dueling - two that reminded him of me - Dark Magician Girl and Magician's Valkyria. Mom let me have her two favorite cards - Shining Friendship and Magician of Faith. Each told me they had given me one of their favorite cards they used all those years ago; and the card that reminded them the most of me. They also said that the cards in my deck had a history to them - at the time, I had wondered what they meant, the secret hidden from me. But they said they would tell me when I was old enough to understand. Since then, I had practiced with the deck they had spent months composing for me. Each contained a piece of their heart, and a piece of mine - Dad had taught me to put my heart in the cards.

The Heart of the Cards.

"Meta!" a voiceyelled form across the school campus, carrying towards me.

Yami Jerry Wheeler was my best friend, the son of Joey Wheeler and Mai Valentine - Dad's old friends. He was my age, fifteen, and only two months older than me. He had his father's short, dark blonde hair and his mother's bright, blue eyes. He also had his Mom's sarcasm and stamina; his father's unfailing determination - according to Dad, Yami had Joey's unfaltering soft hear and kindness and his spirit. Weirdly though, Yami's name meant darkness and for some unknown reason had a great deal to do with our parents' past - as did mine. Mom always preached how their past had nothing to do with my present and I had no reason to question or wonder about it - Dad agreed out in the open, but, in secret, he merely shook his head and smiled. Telling me that my name was "a very special part of his past in reverse." I still do not know what he means or what the riddle speaks of. I once tried to turn my name backwards to spell _Atem. _

Once, I had gotten the courage to ask my mother if she ever knew of some one named Atem while she was doing the dishes perhaps two years ago. Mom dropped a cup on the floor and seemed to stare off into space for a while. And when I called her back to reality, Mom just asked me where I had gotten that name. I told her of Dad's riddle and she called him to meet us in the kitchen. Then quickly dismissed me, telling me that no one was ever known as Atem but that she had a cousin named Adam. I left as Dad entered the room and leaned against the door, listening.

_"Yugi, what did you tell her?" _Tea questioned in alarm. _"Why is Meta asking about Atem?"_

_"Tea, what are you talking about?" _Yugi responded. _"I never told her of him."_

The two argued, but then left it at that. And I never asked about that man, but he did seem special, and I felt special to be a link to him.

"Hey, Yam!" I called back and jogged over to my fellow sophomore.

"I really wish you would stop calling me that," Yami responded.

Some one, a few years ago, had picked up on Yami's nickname and changed it to Ham. Let's just say that Yami also inherited Joey's temper.

"Whatever," I answered.

"Come on, there is Hope and Terry!" Yami exclaimed.

Terry and Hope Taylor were the twin children of Serenity and Tristan Taylor. Both had copper hair of their parents and the green eyes of their mother. Terry was a Tristan clone; all tough with a soft heart. Hope had her mother's kind attitude and her father's athletic ability.

"Hey, Hope. Terry," I spoke with a smile.

"META!" Hope called in greeting as she ran up to me. "Please tell me you at least practiced last night for the duel tournament today!"

"Seeing as this is my first ever duel, I had my dad and mom duel me last night."

"Who won?" Terry pried.

"Dad, of course," I commented. "But I guarantee you that I will so own you guys today. After all, I am the daughter of the King Of Games. Duel Monsters is in my blood!"

* * *

"Now, I play Monster Reborn," Hope called out from the desk across from me. "And bring back St. Joan from the grave yard."

During the tournament, I had soared through the duels, winning by long shots. My homeroom teacher, Leon Singfield, had told me that I was splitting image of my father when I dueled. And I can agree. I was his daughter. Now it was the final duel - Hope against I. Hope had 1000 life points while I had 50. I wonder where she got her dueling ability... She now had St. Joan with attack points at 2800 and defense at 2500, in attack mode. And I had my Wing Weaver with attack at 2750 and defense at 2400, in attack mode.

"You are going down, Meta," Hope said. "Now I will have St. Joan attack your Wing Weaver. And there goes your remaining life points."

"Not so fast, Hope," I answered with a sly smile.

I activate my face down defensive monster's special ability. As you can see this is Magician of Faith. This allows me to bring a magic card back from my Card Grave yard."

"Oh no," Hope whispered.

"Oh yes," I commented. "I bring back Sanctuary in the Sky. This card takes the battle damage to a Fairy monster on my side of the field, like my Wing Weaver, and transforms it to 0. Leaving my fairy safe from your St. Joan."

"Dang it," Hope whimpered.

"My move," I said. "Remember, Hope. Attack points are not everything. But they can be something. I now sacrifice my Wing Weaver and Magician of Faith to summon my Dark Magician Girl. And now I activate the magic card, Sage's Stone and bring forth my Dark Magician. With this, I play the magic card, Synchro Boost which raises my Dark Magician's attack points by 500. Thus, I attack to destroy your St. Joan and take 200 life points away. And now, I attack with Dark Magician Girl to your life points directly. So, Hope. You lose."

"What!" Hope cried in frustration. "You did not just beat me."

"Oh, but I did!" I said and stood up. "That was a fun way to spend the morning."

"Dude, you just won with 50 life points," one of my class mates called out.

"You are much life your father," Leon Sigfield whispered so no one could here him. "Meta, so much like him."

* * *

**For your convenience, I wrote down Meta's deck.**

**MONSTER**

**Magician's Valkyria (1600/1800)**

**Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700]**

**Honest [1100/1900]**

**Sorcerer of Dark Magic [3200/2800]**

**Witch of the Black Forest [1100/1200]**

**Magician of Faith [300/400]**

**Splendid Venus [2800/2400]**

**Mystical Elf [800/200]**

**Gemini Elf [1900/900]**

**Old Vindictive Magician [450/300]**

**Unhappy Girl [400/200]**

**Soul Of Purity and Light [2000/1800]**

**Dark Magician [2500/2100]**

**Buster Blader [2600/2300]**

**Dark Paladin [2900/2600]**

**Shining Friendship [1300/900]**

**Petite Angel [600/900]**

**Wingweaver [2750/2400]**

**SPELL**

**Mystical Space Typhoon**

**Synchro Boost**

**Knight's Title**

**Sage's Stone**

**Feather of the Phoenix**

**Polymerzation**

**Sanctuary in the Sky**

**Swords of Revealing Light**

**Monster Reborn**

**Scape Goat**

**TRAP**

**Negate Attack**

**Mirror Force**

**Gift of the Mystical Elf**

**Magician's Circle**

**Spellbinding Circle**

**Trap Hole**

**Enchanted Javelin**

**Waboku**

**Threatening Roar**

**Soul Resurrection  
**


	3. Fate's Dealing Evil Out

**Author's Note; Alright, so many of you may now realize that Magician's Valkyria is my favorite monster in Duel Monsters - so, due to this concept, I wanted to include both of her special abilities. The one on the actual card and the one in the actual TV show... So please no bashing about how I do not know my stuff (Though, I swear, I never knew about the Dark Magician Girl sacrifice with 1 instead of 2 last chapter! Please bear with me!) So yeah... I do not own YuGiOh! Only the O/C... Alright, let's begin.**

_Atem._

Did that name really haunt her after all this time? Tea Gardener (_ yes, people, Tea kept her last name_ ) let out a rather audible sigh as she pushed herself away from the desk in hers and Yugi's bedroom. Blinking to clear her blurry vision, she ambled aimlessly down the hall to the Game Shop. The sun was shining as three o'clock in the afternoon rolled around. Meta would be home soon. And probably bursting with excitement in having dueled for the first time in a real live game. Maybe that was what brought the thought of Atem on. Sometimes, Tea swore, Meta was more than the splitting image of her father - she was the splitting image of the Pharaoh. It seemed odd to comprehend this thought - that Meta was more than just their daughter. She was a living example of the past, their past - Yugi and Tea's past. Just the way the confidence showed in her attitude reminded Tea of the way she herself had stood up to Mai in order to gain the Star Chips at Duelist Kingdom to allow Yugi access into the castle to save his grandpa. The way the determination shined her eyes brought on the memory of Yugi and Atem fighting the duel against Marik, _determined _to save the entire world. The way her heart was sometimes too big for herself to handle showed Tea the time two decades ago when Yugi took on Noah in the Virtual World, proving the fact that he cared for his friends, his rivals, more than himself. Just looking at the fifteen year old was too much for Tea to bear for it brought on the memories of the past that she so desperately wanted to erase. When she let go of Atem, she let go of any love she might of felt towards him. And the memory of him was too great for words. She knew that she _had _been in love with him. But she loved Yugi more. But every single second of every single day for the past twenty years, Tea was forced to look into Yugi's violet eyes and remember that she had once been in love with some one else: a dear friend, Yugi's closest friend - a part of himself. And when Meta, her daughter, was born - Tea could not have been happier. Until she gazed into those amethyst eyes and immersed herself in the memory of Yugi and Atem. The only two she had ever loved.

"Tea, are you all right?" Yugi questioned as she entered the cashier area of the Game Stop where her husband was perched upon a bar stool, reading a newspaper.

"I am fine," Tea answered in a small voice. "But what about you? You never read the newspaper?"

Yugi sighed and closed the paper, placing it on the floor beside him. "Just thinking."

"Come on, I know when something is wrong with you," Tea commented. "What is wrong, Yugi?"

"Nothing," Yugi responded and gazed into her ocean eyes. "Just... Nothing."

"Come on, I know when something is wrong," Tea commented. "Just tell me. What is wrong?"

"For some odd reason, I just feel a dark presence coming down upon us," he muttered under his breathe.

Tea's eyes snapped up in shock. "What?"

"I feel a dark presence descending upon us, and soon," Yugi muttered under his breathe. "And it is stronger than anything we have ever faced."

Tea's eyes bolted to Yugi's and she gasped in response. "What are you talking about, Yugi?"

"You heard me," he whispered in return.

"I know what you said. But what in the world would make you think something like that?" Tea cried in outrage.

"Tea," Yugi whispered softly. "I do not think that. I know that."

"No," Tea said in response. "We sealed away what ever stupid magic crap that was here twenty years ago when Atem left. So do not say that a new darkness or evil or what ever is back. We are done with that kind of stuff. "

"Tea, I cannot control this."

"Yugi, just please."

"What do you expect me to do, Tea?" Yugi asked quietly.

"Call off the attack?"

"I cannot control this!" Yugi answered, raising his voice ever so slightly. "It is already coming."

"What does it want?" Tea cried in outrage. "What the heck does the evil want from us? We have nothing left to give to Evil. No Millennium Puzzle. No Millennium Items. No Pharaoh! No Atem! All we have left is the Egyptian God cards! If that is what it wants then just give it to it!"

"I do not know, Tea," Yugi responded.

"And what about Meta, Yugi?" Tea continued.

"Tea."

"She is fifteen, for god's sake!" Tea spoke.

"Tea."

"I will not allow her to be dragged into any of this. I know what we did. The good we did. But I cannot bare to watch our daughter be brought into the situation we went through at her age. She will be a normal child, Yugi. And I have tried to do that for her ever since she was born," Tea retorted.

"I realize this," Yugi groaned. "I know what you want for her. I want Meta to be safe also. But there is no denying the fact that she is just like us. So how can you expect her to do anything different than what fate has in store for her?"

"Screw fate. Screw this evil. I want her to be safe," Tea said as tears welled up in her eyes. "I just want Meta to be safe, away from evil."

"I promise you that I will do every thing in my power to protect her," Yugi whispered as he lightly kissed his wife on the forehead. "I promise you - Meta will be safe."

"How can you promise some thing so bug, Yugi? How can you?" Tea inquired softly.

"I will make sure the darkness never knows about her."

"Mr. Moto?" a voice questioned from the doorway of the Game Shop.

Yugi pulled away from the embrace and faced the customer. "Yes? How may I help you?"

"I want to resurrect some one, and I need you to do so, Mr. Moto. I need your soul."

* * *

"Mom! Dad! I am home!" I called as I entered the Game Shop.

"Meta Moto?" a voice questioned from the inside of the Game Shop. "My, my! Have you grown."

"Bakura!" I exclaimed as the older man, one of my father's friends, engulfed me into a hug. "God, I have not seen you for ages."

"I was on a dig in Egypt," Bakura explained. "I found something that was rather interesting. And, well, I need your father's help. Do you know where he is?"

"You mean he ain't here?" I responded. "He should be."

"I just arrived," Bakura commented. "And the door was unlocked. But I never saw him nor your mother."

"DAD!" I yelled out. "MOM!"

No answer.

There came a time when I realized that time could pass by quickly while you are in panic mode - things tend to move faster than reality itself yet you see every single detail known to the situation. Much like now.

"I do not understand," I said in worry. "They should not be gone. Or missing. The Game Shop is open. My dad never keeps it unlocked if he is gone. And Mom watches it if he has to leave for an errand."

"Maybe they went for a walk."

"The Game Shop was unlocked," I whispered. "Oh god. Dad! Dad!"

As Bakura and I bolted past the check out counter and up the stairs to the living unit above the Game Shop - I burst into the living room, closed to tears. Bakura collided with me and I went sprawling onto the floor.

"Sorry," he muttered, extending his hand towards me; his white hair falling into his chocolate eyes.

I nodded weakly and merely stood up without question. "Mom! Dad!"

The room suddenly dimmed, the lights flickering once before going out. Talk about eerie.

"Meta, are you next to me?" Bakura asked hesitantly.

"No," I replied in confusion before turning towards the older man who was shaking ever so slightly. "I am in front of you. Stop playing around, Bakura."

"If you are in front of me, then who is behind me?" Bakura questioned in a frightened tone.

"Boo," a voice whispered in Bakura's ear.

"EEK!" Bakura said and ran towards me.

I was beyond irritated at the current moment. First - my parents were missing and no where to be found. And now Bakura was acting like a teenager once more. Playing around like a boogie man was going to jump out of the shadows and devour me. I mean him. Us. Ugh! Whatever.

"Bakura, please stop acting like a little kid and - AH!" I screamed in fear at the sight of a black mass hovering behind me.

"See! I told you!" Bakura screeched.

"Hello, young Meta," the black mass cooed. "Do not worry, dear one, I will not hurt you."

"Uh... Bakura. Help?" I asked and took a step back only to find the supposed, older, more mature man hovering behind the lamp that was directly to the right of me.

"Um.. How about no?" Bakura suggested as the black mass advanced towards our cowering figures.

"And you are supposed to be the adult?!" I cried as the black mass stopped a yard ahead of me.

"Technically, yes!" Bakura yelled as the shadow crept over to him and knocked over the lamp that was the only obstacle between the two; it shattered, the light bulb breaking into a number of pieces which could not be registered as any known number. "But, luckily, technicality does not rule in this ordeal!"

"Hell YES!" I called back and dodged the falling lamp - I fell to the ground and landed on a hard object.

Rolling over, I bit back a scream as I recognized my mother's unconscious form sprawled out next to the sofa.

_Do not dare speak or I shall kill your dear mother in a mere instant, _the dark shadow spoke, though, it spoke in my mind. _Nod yes or no._

I nodded my head, my body quivering ever so slightly. The fact that anyone had managed to get in here and harm my mother was seemingly impossible as the fact that a pure, black shadow could exist. All such fears imaginable sounded in my head all at once, bringing the most horrible feeling of dread with them. For the second time that day, my blood turned to ice as I realized the horrible truth. Some one was going to try to hurt me. Hurt my family. It was then that life hit me full on - grasping onto my childhood innocence and purity and twisting it before my eyes. Twisting it a dark nightmare. Making it all wash away. All the truth. All the serenity. All the peace. Every thing I had grown to know and love and thought to be safe was destroyed in an instant and replaced with the full on responsibility of an adult as I, for the first time in my entire, young life, faced reality.

The black mass laughed in amusement. _I can hear your thoughts, young Meta._

_What are you? _I thought, responding telepathically.

_Nothing you need to know_, the black mass replied. "For I merely came here for one purpose. And one purpose only."

_And what is that? _I questioned.

"You."

I panicked, thought, I knew I should not have and bolted off the ground in fear. I blindly grasped for the nearest thing, in this case it ended up behind Dad's old duel disk which he always kept under the sofa for some reason even Mom does not know and swung it at the black shadow. It connected with its head and the shadow toppled back.

"PUT yOUR DECK IN THE SLOT!" Bakura called back as the mass began to arise from my blow.

"What?" I called.

"You are going down, little Meta," the shadow hissed in return.

"Put the duel disk on your wrist!" Bakura demanded.

I did as told and then placed my duel deck in the slot. The duel disk flashed 4000 in the life point counter.

"Now what?" I called out to Bakura as the shadow lunged at me.

"Play a card!"

"What card?"

"Any card!"

I randomly drew the first card from the top of my Duel Monsters deck and held it in my hand. "BAKURA! NOW WHAT?"

"Put it in attack mode on the duel disk!"

"What good will that do? The monster will be a hologram!"

"JUST DO IT, META!"

The shadow was advancing, laughing evily.

"Uh... I summon Magician's Valkyria!" I called out for some odd reason.

A burst of white light erupted throughout the dark room as I closed my violet eyes in the process, only to reopen them to stare into those silver eyes of my Magician's Valkyria.

"What the.. Bakura, now what?" I asked.

"ATTACK!"

"Oh right!" I mumbled as the dark shadow lunged at me. "Valkyria, attack!"

A burst of blue light echoed from her staff and hurdled towards the black mass, destroying it with a loud scream.

"Oh shit," I whispered as Valkyria turned towards me, the task at hand completed.


	4. Who Is Atem?

Valkryia gazed at me with her silver eyes. "Well done, young Meta."

I began to blink as I literally passed out. "Thank you?"

Valkyria merely nodded at my confused statement, and, in a burst of white light, she retreated back to the card on the duel disk. Slowly, I turned towards Bakura who met my violet eyes with his own brown ones in return. I could swear that he smiled in amusement at my disbelieving yet cautious expression. I opened my mouth to speak, yet, I could not find any words to cover what I was thinking at the current moment at hand. I mean, what was I supposed to say?A holographic Duel Monster had appeared, destroying a black mass who was dead set on getting me, and, then, spoke to me, congratulation me on a victory. And knew my name. I could very well admit that I was no longer allowed to live a normal life.

"Meta, say something," Bakura urged as I stared at the duel disk on my arm. "Meta?"

"A magical, holographic Duel Monster," I muttered under my breathe. "That is as weird as it gets. At least, I think. Bakura, what was that?"

"That? That was the Heart of the Cards," Bakura answered. "Don't your parents ever tell you about this? Especially with Yugi as your father?"

"Dad does; Mom does not. I think that she does not want me to play Duel Monsters. I think what just happens is why."

Bakura stared at me in utter disbelief and complete shock. "Tea never wanted you to play Duel Monsters?"

I nodded and gazed at my duel disk and sighed.

"She always said that if I started to play at a later age, hence my first duel being today when I am fifteen, Duel Monsters would not rule my life like it did hers and Dad's. I never knew what she meant by that, though," I explained in a soft voice and let my eyes flicker toward my mother's unconscious form. "I realize now that I know nothing of my parent's past."

"Nothing? Tea or Yugi never told you any thing?" Bakura gasped. "Nothing?"

"My mom refused too. Dad sometimes hinted at some things. Though, both said they would tell me what they meant when I was older. For example, my father told me my name was a special part of his past in reverse. I figured it was my name backwards - Atem. I asked Mom about the name - she freaked a bit and asked me where I heard that name. And I told her what Dad had said to me. She called Dad and told me that she knew no one of that name. Mom and Dad were bickering about Atem or whoever. They never said another word about him. But he did seem special - I always feel to be a link to him," I said.

"You really know nothing," Bakura breathed.

"And it is going to stay that way," a voice answered.

I turned to come face to face with my mother. "Mom!"

"Tea?" Bakura asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you for save me. Meta, come one. Let us put that duel disk away," Tea commanded.

"No," I retorted. "Mom, some black shadow ghoul tried to get me. And kill you!"

"Meta, come on. Just put the device away and go outside. I will obtain a duffel bag. We need to get you to the Wheelers' home," Tea continued as if I had never spoken. "Bakura, stay here and I will come talk to you in a bit."

"I am not going," I responded. "Not until you tell me what is going on."

"Meta."

"Mom, you were unconscious when we found you. Some one tried to kidnap me. And D- Wait, Mom! Where is Dad? Where is my father?" I questioned in alarm. "Where is he, Mom?"

"Meta, please," Tea pleaded. "Just listen to me!"

"Wait! Where-" I began before Mom interrupted me.

"We do not have time to wait," Tea spoke. "We need to get out of here now before."

"Why?"

"Because the intruder you saw was not the only one," Tea exclaimed in panic. "The other took your father."

I froze in pure fear - my heart shattering at the statement. "Dad is gone?"

"Meta, please, stop asked questions and let us leave," Tea whispered.

"No," I spoke in a soft tone, a petty voice caught in the howling wind. "I am not endangering Yami and his family. Mom, Joey and Mai are your dear friends. You are always preaching about how you need to watch out for your friends - how you are always supposed to stand by them at all times. And you are risking their safety. Yami is my friend, Mom - I will not harm him!"

"She is your daugher all right, Tea," Bakura muttered in the akwkard silence. "Like mother - like daughter."

"Meta, I know you are worried and frightened at the current moment, but, trust me, Yami and you will both be very safe with Joey and Mai," Tea explained, ignoring Bakura's comment. "Joey and Mai will never let any thing hurt you."

"Mom - those black shadows wanted me for a reason, like they wanted Dad," I continued. "And what about you? There is no way in hell that I am going to leave you to die!"

"Meta, I will be all right. I am going to find your father. I promise, every thing will be fine," Tea remarked. "You will be all right."

"I love you," I whispered and threw my small arms around my mother's waist.

"Love you too, Meta," Tea answered, her copper hair falling into her crystal eyes as she embraced me. "Be safe and do not do anything stupid. That is all I ask."

I nodded and took a duffel bag which Bakura had thankfully took the time during my mother's and my exchange. With a nod and a silent good bye, I followed Bakura out of the Game Shop. The older man gazed at me with an expression of amusement.

"You are going to do something stupid, aren't you, Meta?"

"You should know me better tha that," I retorted. "I am simply doing what my father always does. Doing things that are reckless and stupid in order to protect a friend."

* * *

"Meta?" Joey Wheeler questioned as he flung open the door. "Bakura? What are you doing here?"

"Meta, go inside," Bakura commanded. "Joey, I need to talk to you about some thing very important."

"All right," Joey responded. "Meta, Yami is upstairs. Go on ahead to meet him."

"Sure," I answered before ducking out of the door and hid against the wall, prepared to eavesdrop.

"Meta, what are you doing here?" Yami asked as he waltzed down the stairs.

"Listening. So shut up, Yami!"

Both of us braced ourselves outside the kitchen to hear what we could of the supposed confidential conversation.

"She reminds me so much of Yugi," Joey commented.

"More like Atem, if you ask me," Bakura replied with a laugh.

"Yeah, well no asked you."

"Anyway," Bakura began.

"But I guess you are right. She has that 'do it before you think' attitude of Atem's. And that unfaltering confidence and determination. But you got to remember - Yugi is the same way.

"Yes, but after Atem," Bakura muttered.

There the old friends went on about Atem again. Who ever he was - he apparently was very important to so many people and a strong influence on my father, and me, supposedly.

"It has got to be like looking in a mirror for Yugi," Joey continued. "And a mirror of the past for that matter."

"Who are they talking about?" Yami questioned.

"Me," I hissed in response.

"Imagine what Tea must be feeling like," Joey said. "Yugi once told me that Tea - all those years ago - though that she was in love with Atem. But really it was Yugi. All along, Tea's heart was in the wrong place. But she realized it when Atem left."

"And now Meta is a reminder of her mistake," Bakura concluded. "That has to be rough on her."

"Reminds me of Yami," Joey added after a short period of silence.

"Me?" Yami mumbled to himself. "How am I involved in all of this?"

"How so?" Bakura asked.

"When Mai and Tea found out they were pregnant - Yugi and Tea were expecting a boy - and were going to name him Atem. But, later, they found out that it was going to be a girl and decided on Meta. Mai, at the time, had been wondering of Atem and Yugi. How those two changed her, and me for that concept. And our son was going to be living proof of every thing. So - instead of naming Atem, we decided to name him Yami, another name that Atem went by. You see - to Tea, Meta is a reminder of her mistake, and Yugi once said that Yami also reminded her of this. But, to me, Meta and Yami are not reminded of the past mistakes, only they are the opposite. Reminders of the past good that we all accomplished," Joey said.

I froze. Yami froze.

"When you put it that way - every thing makes sense," Bakura responded.

There was a slight pause as Yami and I leaned closer, eager to know more.

"So why did you bring Meta here anyway?" Joey questioned.

"Joey, we have got a problem - a huge one at that," Bakura answered. "I came by the Game Shop because I needed Yugi's help with some thing when Meta came in. We were talking and soon realized that some thing was wrong. Yugi and Tea - were gone, but the Game Shop was unlocked. So we entered the living room and the lights faded out. A black shadow of some sort came up behind me and pushed over a lamp. Meta fell over and landed on an unconscious Tea. Meta hit the shadow with Yugi's old duel disk. The shadow got up, and Meta summoned Magician's Valkyria and destroyed the black shadow with it. Valkyria then turned back to her and congratulated Meta and returned to the card."

"You have got to be kidding me! Are Yugi and Tea all right?" Joey exclaimed.

"Meta freaked a bit," Bakura continued. "It turns out she knows nothing of the past. Yugi hints about certain points - such as her name. Tea wants Meta to live a normal life - without Duel Monsters too."

"Now," Joey spoke. "Yami told me Meta dueled for the first time and won the tournament at school today. He said Hope was owning her until the last turn."

"Sound like any one you know?" Bakura questioned.

"She is just like Yugi," Joey breathed. "But, Bakura, you have still have not told me where Yugi and Tea are."

"Joey," Bakura grieved. "Tea sent Meta here to stay for a while because there was more than one black shadow. The other got Yugi."

"No," Joey whispered in response, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "Not Yugi. I thought all the evil was sealed away, done threatening our lives when Atem left."

"So did I!" Bakura said rather loudly. "But - for some reason - Joey, it has come back."

"But why?" Joey asked quietly. "What does it want?"

"I do not know, but I have a guess," Bakura answered after a short pause.

"Meta," Joey breathed out in reply.

"Meta," Bakura agreed softly.

I shut my eyes in defeat - tears threatening to fall from my violet orbs. Yami's arms found their way to my waist, pulling me close as I let out a muffled cry. Joey and Bakura heard me, though, and exited the room to find me and Yami embraced together in the hallway. Understanding immediately that I had been eavesdropping in on the conversation, Joey sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder which was heaving forward with each heartweenching sob.

And I swear that I heard Bakura softly say. "You know - she is crying because she is worried about you?"

And, I swear - Joey answered. "She is their daughter all right."

And if that is what they truly said - you know what?

They were right.


	5. The Golden Star Chip

I sat on my bed in the darkness, my mind contemplating the information I had received. I did not know what was to happen next. I did not know much at all for that matter. Only that my family - my father and mother - and my existence for that fact was in danger. And that some one, black shadow or some thing higher, was trying to hurt me. Trying to hurt every one I cared about. Joey had finally gotten me to halt my sobbing and took me aside. He promised that no harm would ever come to me as long as I trusted him and believed that nothing could hurt me or Yami. I merely nodded, to distraught to ask any questioned. But, as I awoke later on the bed in the Wheeler's guest room to complete darkness - I appeared to be frightened to a death's end. For it that same darkness that took my father from me. My violet eyes flickered from the door to the window.

_Wait,_ I thought. _It was a clear night tonight... Why is every thing so dark?_

A slit of light suddenly appeared as if some thing had shifted in the darkness. I quickly threw off my blankets and bolted toward the door when suddenly the window was flown open - the cold air retreating in and embracing my small frame, unintentionally making me shiver in pure fear. My hand reached out for my deck and brought it to my chest where my heart was thundering.

"Stay away from me," I warned. "I mean it. Stay back!"

"Meta?" a voice questioned.

I gasped - I recognized that voice.

My father.

"Dad?" I answered softly.

Yugi stepped forward, out of the shadows - my eyes, his eyes, widened in concern and rushed toward me. He engulfed me in a warm embrace - his breathe on my forehead as he rocked my trembling form back and forth.

"Meta, are you all right?" Yugi asked as he pulled away - eyes filled with panic and concern.

"I am fine, but Mom said that they captured you... Did she rescue you? Can we go home now? Is every thing all right?" I stammered in complete awe. "Are you okay?"

"Meta, I cannot stay for long - but I had to talk to you," Yugi answered, purposely avoiding every single one of my questions.

"Dad, what in the world is going on?" I said.

"Meta, some thing is happening - some thing evil that could destroy me, your mother - and you," Yugi muttered under his breathe. "Meta, this evil specifically wants me and it is after you as well."

"What?" I breathed out rather audibly. "Why is this evil after you and me?"

"I am not quite sure," Yugi murmured in reply. "Just that it wants me."

"Why, Dad?"

"It wants my soul to resurrect some one," Yugi responded.

"Resurrect? You mean - like magic?' I retorted and ran a hand through my black hair. "Dad, there is no such thing as magic. Mom always said never to believe in the gumbo nonsense of magic and spells and ancient monsters."

"Meta," Yugi commented as he closed his own violet eyes. "How much do you truly know of my past?"

I paused - it was always coming back to the subject of my parents' history. "Not much, Dad. Only that Duel Monsters were an enormous part of it. I am named after a man whom you were extremely close too - Atem. And Atem changed you - and that he is a part of me as well. And that he is a huge part of your past."

Yugi shook his head and sighed. "I do not know why I ever agreed to your mother's proposition that you know nothing of went on when we were your age. Every thing we did influenced the future, it was because of the past that you are here right now. Meta, Atem was my past. He was every thing. He was every part of it. He was the past, my past, your mother's, Joey and Tristian's past."

"Is it true that Yami is named after him?" I inquired in a soft voice as silence sunk in. "Is it true that Atem used to be called Yami?"

"Yes - before we found out Atem's true name, we called him Yami or Pharaoh," Yugi explained.

"Pharaoh? As in Egypt?" I asked in confusion and let my gaze flicker to my father's serious expression. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Indeed," Yugi spoke softly as he absent mindlessly fingered a lock of golden hair that fell into his gaze; my friends often joked to me that even though I was the duplicate of my father, I had never managed to inherit all three of his hair colors. "He was an Egyptian Pharaoh of five thousand years ago that resided in my Millennium Puzzle. He had no memories of his past life - yet, after we connected, I helped him defeat the evil present, regain his lost memories, and send him where he belonged - The Afterlife."

A period of silence settled in upon us.

"Meta?" Yugi questioned with a gaze of confusion. "Are you with me?"

"A spirit shared your body - through that ancient Puzzle?" I stated stupidly.

"Listen, my dear one," Yugi whispered. "Meta - I know this concept is very difficult to comprehend, but I do not have enough time to explain every thing in full length to you right now. You just have to take my word."

"All right," I answered hesitantly. "But, Dad - what is going on?"

"Meta, so much. So much. I cannot possibly explain it all - only that you, the entire world, is in danger - and you have to go after the only one who has the ability to save us all," Yugi said quietly. "You must get Atem back."

I shook my head in disagreement. "Atem? Dad, how? You just told me he was in the Afterlife. How can you expect me to get a spirit back?"

"I know it will be extremely hard, Meta. But you are the only one who can do this other than me. I know you will find a way," Yugi remarked.

"But how? And why?"

"You will find the way because I know you," Yugi repeated. "You are my daughter, Meta."

"All right," I answered. "But where do I start?"

"With the past," Yugi replied. "Go to Joey and show him this - you will get him to tell you every thing."

In my father's outstretched hand was a golden star chip.

Brushing a midnight bang out of my amethyst eyes, I gazed at it in confusion as my father placed it into my open palm. "What is so significant about this star chip?"

Yugi laughed softly. "I have to go. Just remember, Meta - remember."

"Dad, what do you mean by that? What am I supposed to remember?" I called as he ambled toward the open window.

"Just remember to remember, Meta!" Yugi exclaimed as he ducked out of the room.

"Dad!" I screeched in alarm and dashed to his retreating form as he disappeared from view. "DAD!"

* * *

The clock struck three o'clock in the morning as I waltzed into the Wheeler's kitchen at the break of early morning. My footsteps reverberated off of the ivory colored walls and echoed throughout the dark house. To my surprise, Joey and Yami sat the kitchen table.

"Meta?" Joey questioned tiredly. "Could you not sleep much?"

"Joey - I deathly need to talk to you about some thing," I answered in response.

"That bad? What about, Meta?" Joey responded in alarm. "Are you all right?"

"Joey, my father came through my window a few moments ago - he told me that a new evil was coming, and that I was the only one who could do some thing to get the one who can save us all. And for to do so, Dad told that I was to show you this star chip and you are to tell me every thing about your past."

"Your father, Yugi, gave you that star chip?" Joey said in a daze as Yami witnessed the exchange in amazement. "And what exactly are you to do"

"Yes - my father requested that you tell me of his past when I was to show you this," I responded as I sat next to Joey. "I do not know exactly what I am supposed to know - only that I need to start with his past. And I am guesing it had to do with Atem. My father said that Atem was an Egyptian Pharaoh of five thousand years ago who resided, well his spirit, in the Millennium Puzzle. And that Mom, he, and you, and Tristian Taylor battled along side him to protect the world from evil before my father helped him into the Afterlife."

"Whoa!" Yami hissed in amazement. "Our parents were super heroes!"

"Nicely put," I retorted.

Joey stared at his hands and deeply breathed before turning toward me. "Meta, all right. Let me tell you what happened. Yami, you better hear this as well. Because, knowing the way things turned out for me, you will be thrown into this as well."

Yami and I gazed at Joey as it began.

"It started when your father - Yugi - put together the Millennium Puzzle..."

* * *

As ten o'clock rolled around in the morning, Mai Wheeler entered the kitchen to find her husband, son, and me sound asleep at the kitchen table. She paused and whistled loudly, waking all of us up.

"What the-" I muttered under my breathe as I awoke.

Joey and Yami followed suite - each groggy and yawning. Yami cast a gaze with his deep blue eyes at me - smiling wryly. Joey yawned deeply and stood up, kissed Mai lightly on the cheek, and ambled toward the stairs. I stared at Mai who winked in my direction. Yami followed his father to his bedroom to get dressed in more comfortable clothing - that was some thing other than his pajamas. Mai took the moment and seated herself happily next to me with a wide and visible grin. My own violet eyes narrowed in confusion.

"So, what did you do last night?" Mai questioned and ran a plae hand through her blonde hair which a part of me felt some form of envy toward. "It was quite odd to find Joey, especially Yami, asleep at the kitchen table, though, it definatly does not surprise me. Like his father, Yami will sleep any where, any time, and loudly - I might add."

I mimicked Mai's action and twirled a lock of my pure, back hair around my index finger. "Talking. None of us could sleep."

"Does this have to do with your parents' disappearance? Joey told me about that. I am sorry, Meta," Mai answered, her blue eyes filled with sorrow and compassion.

I let my hand reach across the table to the star chip my father had given me. "Thank you, Mai. Uh.. my father actually sneaked through my window last night."

Mai gazed at me in shock. "He is all right?"

"For now," I responded. "Dad told me that a new evil was coming upon us. And they wanted his soul to resurrect some one. And they wanted me. He told me that I was the only one who could save every one. But I have to - never mind. But he said that I was to learn of this past. He gave me this star chip to show Joey who would tell me every thing."

Mai stared at the gold star. "You know every thing? Even what the star chip was from then?"

I nodded. "The star chip is some thing from my father's adventure in Duelist Kingdom with Pegasus, Kaiba, you, Bandit Keith, Rex Raptor, and Weevil Underwood. Also Tristian, Joey, and my mother."

"Every thing?" Mai breathed out.

"From Pegasus steal my great-grandfather's soul to Duke Devilan's crazed problem. To Battle City duel between Dad and a possessed Joey to you getting sent to the Shadow Realm by the hand of Marik. To Noah's obsession of revenge with Kaiba to the Egyptian God cards. To my father losing his soul because of Dartz and the Ceremonial Battle. But, most of all - Atem."

"Wow," Mai muttered. "You have been busy."

"I do not know where to go from here," I admitted. "All I know is what my father told me: 'Just remember to remember. ' "

Mai continued to stare at the golden star chip in my hand. "Meta, do you know what to do with this star chip?"

I shook my head in reply. "I thought I was only meant to show Joey who would tell every thing to me."

"Meta, a few years back, Yugi came to me and told me that he was gathering a special gift for you when you learned of the past. He was truing to think of a way that would allow you to sneak back in time and witness the past from a far. I doubt he ever completed it - all I know is that the star chip is the first step. Maybe that is what your father wants you to start at."

"You mean like time travel? With magic?"

Oh great. Another mystery to solve.


	6. Return of the Shadows

"Meta," Hope Taylor called from across the park in the heart of Domino City. "Yami!"

I lifted my head and let my violet eyes flicker toward my friend who was dashing toward me along with her twin brother, Terry Taylor. Both has their chocolate eyes wide.

"Terry, my man!" Yami said and slapped his friend's back. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Terry responded in a deep voice. "Just trying to help Meta save the world from complete darkness and utter chaos. You know - what any normal teenagers do no their Saturday mornings - the children of the super heroes of twenty years ago."

"I still cannot believe that you and Hope knew of every thing all ready," I exclaimed in complete disbelief and utter shock.

"Hey! It is not my fault my father told us stories when we were younger," Terry replied with a laugh. "But, I cannot understand why you, as the Daughter of the King of Games, never knew any thing of our parents' past."

"Well believe it, because it is true, Terry," I grumbled in my high soprano voice as I stood up from the wooden bench on the edge of the park. "My mom and dad never told me any thing - though, Dad did hint at some things."

"I was never told; period," Yami countered in response as he followed me in suite while the four of us ambled down the side walk. "But my parents never really bothered because I was never interested."

"Yami - I have known you since birth," Hope retorted with a rather loud chuckle, showing signs of her father. "You were interested in your parents' past - the part that made them consider naming you Yami!"

"I will admit to that," Yami answered quietly as he let out an inaudible sigh. "But now that I know the answer to my question - I do not care because the name means a lot - should mean a lot to every one of us."

Silence settled upon the four of us as we ambled aimlessly across the park till Terry broke the silence.

"I just realized something," Terry stated with a smile. "Yami - your name is your parents name together! The 'y' at the end of Joey and Mai together spell Yami! Then - Meta -"

"Do. Not. Bring. Me. Into. This!" I exclaimed in answer as Yami glared at Terry.

"Meta, yours is the 'm' of Moto and Tea! What are the odds of that?" Terry continued as Yami lunged at him. "And my name is Tristian and Serenity put together! I swear, our parents have no time on their hands if they actually put our birth names together like this!"

"You have no time on your hands if you thought of that," I muttered under my breathe.

"What about me?" Hope protested.

"You are the odd one out of this group," Terry answered out with a laugh, but, that is when Yami tackled him.

"Yami!" I yelled out through fits of laughter and endless giggling. "Seriously - Terry was just being his annoying self - you did not have to tackle the guy!"

"But it shut him up!" Yami countered as he got off of his friend.

We all laughed in a harmonious roar as we came to a stop in front of the Game Shop. Silence came upon us all when I unlocked the door and ambled inside. The shop was dark and barren - as if no one had lived here in ages.

"Wow," Hope commented. "It looks... empty. Really."

"I know," I returned as I gazed around. "Can you really believe it?"

"It is hard to picture your parents here three days ago," Terry explained.

"Ditto," Yami replied, his blue eyes wide.

I sighed and ambled into the living room. "Come one, let us start looking for clues. Spread out and search."

Yami and I dashed down the hall towards the bedrooms.

"Meta, stop stepping on my shoes!" Yami exclaimed in irritation after a short while. "Seriously!"

"Yam, I am right behind you and most defiantly not stepping on your heels - because I am way behind you," I stated as I let my violet eyes flicker into the open bathroom.

"Then who is close behind me?" Yami responded hesitantly. "AND WHY IS IT A PURE, BLACK SHADOW?"

With a gasp of shock, I whirled to face my childhood friend who was slowly backing away from the black shadow in utter fear and complete shock. His blue eyes met my violet eyes and silently pleaded me to help him, knowing full on that I had defeated this darkness once before. Suddenly, Hope and Terry, upon hearing Yami's screaming, came running towards us and froze in place at the sight of a mass hovering above Yami's large form.

"Meta, what do I do?" Yami cried out in fright. "You destroyed this sucker before - so help me!"

"You need a duel disk!" I called back.

"Like this?" a voice answered when all of the sudden, Terry thrust my father's duel disk into my open arms. "Hurry up, Meta! Destroy the evil ghoul before it eats HAM!"

"Seriously?" Yami called out in reply. "Seriously, Terry? You call me HAM now of all times?"

The black shadow laughed up rigorously at our panic while I put the duel disk on my wrist.

_Please, Heart of the Cards, guide me. Atem, where ever you are now, I need your help._

"Dark Magician!" I yelled out as the Duel Monster appeared in front of me. "Attack the black shadow!"

Dark Magician set out his purple staff, aimed and targeting the evil darkness. In a flash of dark magic that erupted from his staff, the attack barreled towards the black mass. It was deflected with a flick of the shadow's wrist and phased back at my Dark Magician who was destroyed. The darkness merely laughed at my confusion.

"He is dark. I am dark. There is not a single way a dark monster can destroy me!" he cackled.

"Meta!" Yami cried out in terror as shadows along the walls crept towards him, sliding as if a snakes form was slithering along.

They merged together to form a dark blob. Just pure darkness. A small, shapeless mass with long, black streaks of entire evil that was currently reaching out and grabbing hold of the Yami's clothes as the young teenager fought as best he could. One covered Yami's eyes with its black arm, think and fast, like a blindfold. Another wrapped its arm around his torso mutiple times, binding his arms and covering the area from his hips to his neck in complete darkness. I watched as Yami was slowly pulled back against the wall.

"Meta!" Hope screamed as the shadows continued to devour Yami - pulling him further into the dark abyss. "Don't you have any other light monsters? Some thing strong enough to defeat that thing?"

I took a deep breathe - I could do this. Dad believed in me; he thought I could do this - he was with me, where ever he was. "Come on, Heart of the Cards. Please do not fail me now."

As I placed my hand on the first card, the top card of my desk, I felt as if I was suddenly infused with a sudden burst of strength. Who ever was aiding me, I had no complaints.

"Meta! Hurry!" Yami pleaded, gasping for air.

"Go! Magician's Valkyria! Use your power of light and send the darkness back to where he came from back! Go! With Mystic Scepter Blast!" I proclaimed as the peaceful Magician appeared.

"As you wish, young Master," Valyria responded as she lowered her staff, a light erupting from it, and targeting the black shadow and the darkness taking Yami. "Light of Goodness, destroy the darkness!"

"I will be back," the shadow hissed at the four of us as the light faded, taking him with it.

"So much for holographic monsters," Terry muttered in surprise. "And I was hoping this was all a dream."

"Believe what you want, Terry," I answered as I stretched out a a hand towards Yami, my fallen hand. "But this is a not a dream - maybe a nightmare, in this case, that exists in reality."

"That was some thing," Yami groaned. "It just felt as if all the light, the goodness, was being sucked from my very core, guys."

Meanwhile, Hope had wondered into my parent's bedroom. "Meta, come look at this."

"What is it, Hope?' I inquired as I approached my friend. 'Did you find a clue of some sort? Any thing that can help us at this point?"

"I actually do not know," Hope commented as she stared at a small, leather bound, brown book. "This looks like a journal of some sort. It says that is belonged to your father."

I took the book from Hope as the three crowded around, peering over my shoulder, searching for any chance to read. "Yugi Moto, Journal... Guys, this is his book from twenty years ago!"

"Wait, you mean from - " Terry began.

"It begins when my father is on some sort of ship to Egypt..." I muttered under my breathe. "It talks about the Last Battle... My guess that is he is talking about the Ceremonial Battle with Atem. The duel that sent the Pharaoh in to the Afterlife..."

"When does it end?" Yami suddenly piped up from behind me, intently watching as I flipped through the worn out pages. "Maybe it will say some thing, tell us any thing, of your Dad's plan to seal magic or what ever he did that requires that star chip of yours that he gave you..."

"Good idea," I murmured as an answer. "The last entry was... Last year! On my fourteenth birthday!"

"Read it out loud," Hope urged me on.

_May 18th, Meta's Birthday_

_I know not what will happen when she uses its power. All I know is that my plan worked; I tested it out earlier this veyr morning. It is an amazing concept that I witnessed two, very different realities. One, when Tea argued with me about the danger of this magic and how it may even harm my dear daughter, our dear daughter, Meta. And then, there is this reality - the one I am currently living in. In this reality, Tea never knew that I tested out the magic. This magic is too powerful, though. Why? Because it works._

_I went back nineteen years ago, this very day, today, exactly. I watched as Atem left us all forever. I relived my memory of how we all thought the world as we knew it would end. We were so young back then, but our countless battles had aged us not only emotionally but even mentally. Though, when we thought life had ended when he left, we were just so very naive. We finished college four years later; we all have families. Because of what happened this very day, nineteen years before, I have a daughter with Tea - our dear, young Meta. She is so very much like me, everyone claims. If only they knew. Of course, Meta is a part of me. So of course she looks like me. Of course she has those same, all too familiar violet eyes. Of course she has that raven hair. Sure, she is going to grow up, she is growing up, to be that beautiful teenager her mother was. Meta has that same, familiar outshining confidence of her mother. Meta has that height her mother had. She has that loyalty her mother has. Meta has my unfailing, open, and almost too big of heart. Meta has that determination._

_But she is a part of Tea, a part of me. But what can I say? Some how, I also know she is a part of Atem. For some odd reason, the part of himself that Atem left with me, that bold attitude and courage. That outgoing, talkative, attitude. And the part of him that mattered more to me than any one could ever realize - that strength. And Meta gained all of that. She inherited those parts of me. I wonder if Atem ever had any work in that._

_One thing I do know is that Atem with meet with Meta one day. And when Meta is old enough, she will meet him. That I am sure of._

_When my daughter is old enough to understand all of the chaos of this past of mine - I will give her this magic. Until then, I must hide it away. Hide it in Kaiba Corporation Box Cards Bank._

_And with the type of security there that Kaiba organized, not even Tea can stop what our daughter needs to know._

_Her past. Our past._

I paused, completely unaware of any thing at the current moment. I do not know if I was frozen in shock before of what I had found out of my father. Or if I Knew what I had to do to get this magic.

Or about the fact that Atem left twenty years ago on May 18th.

And I was born exactly five years later.


	7. My Father's Daughter

**Thank you all my dear readers for making Eternity Sealed Away a great story for me! I love the love and support and critisim you all give me! It pushes me even harder. Thank than kthan than thank you. && I know I mispelled thanks for a bit. && now, without further ado, chapter seven!**

**&& another note, Kaiba does have children Rhavis. YOu'll see next chapter.**

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"Meta? What does all this mean anyways?" Yami asked, his face a mirror of Terry and Hope's - bearing confusion of all sorts.

"I think we all need to get out of here," I whispered after a short pause.

"Why?" Terry questioned in reply.

"Because we have what those shadows are after," I answered as we all dashed for the door.

"And that would be? Meta, help us out here - we are dying here," Yami pleaded.

I reached the door and turned towards my friends. "The fate of the world."

* * *

"YOU FOUR DID WHAT NOW?" Tristan Taylor roared as he, Serenity Taylor, Joey, and Mai gathered around Yami, Hope, and Terry and me in the Wheeler's living room.

"We went to the Game Shop!" Hope admitted to her father. "To help Meta search for clues about her parents' disappearance."

"Do you know what could have happened; what almost happened?" Mai answered as she glared at her son.

"Mom, this... These black shadows want Meta. We need to help her," Yami defended.

"Yami, you were almost devoured by these black shadows. Did you ever even stop to consider, to think of the danger?" Mai retorted to him. "We could have lost you! All of you!"

"You and Dad lost your souls once before!' Yami countered in fury. "So please do not lecture me on almost losing my soul. Heck, you even lost your mind forever to the Shadow Realm."

"That is so besides the point right now," Mai continued in rage. "That was when we had no choice, no way to stop it!"

It kind of was not fair - my best friends were arguing, yelling, at their parents because of me. "It is not their fault. They were only trying to help me!"

"Meta, stay out of this," Tristan commanded and turned back to his children. "Do you have-"

"But we have what those dark shadows are looking for!" I announced rather loudly. "They were trying to get whatever magic my father stored away - what I am supposed to go and get ot save us all!"

Silence settled in around me.

"Meta, what magic?" Serenity Taylor questioned hesitantly as I reached into my bag and with drew my father's journal.

"This. It explains every thing I need. My father tested the magic out on my fourteenth birthday - last year. Conveniently, it turns out that he went back twenty years ago - that day. He saw Atem," I turned around to face Joey. "How come you never told me about the fact how I was born on the anniversary of Atem leaving you all? Did that thought ever occur to you?"

"Meta? How did you find out about that?" Joey answered.

I held up Yugi's Journal. "This - the last entry."

Joey took the journal from me and skimmed over the last entry.

"I have to go to Kaiba Corporation Box Cards Bank," I admitted. "I have too."

"Meta," Tristan spoke up. "The Box Cards Bank is a place where people story away highly valuable items. If you have any hopes of obtain this magic, your father is the only one who is able to retrieve this. Your father is the only one."

* * *

"Blond dye? Red dye? Twelve bottles of hair gel and a man's outfit?" Yami checked off the items from the receipt in his hands as he sat on my bed, outside the bathroom where I currently was in the Wheeler home. "Do not do this, Meta. Seriously, plus - this dye will not come out!"

"Calm down, Yami. Relax - I am only dying my fringe blond and tips red. And, besides - how else can I hope to resemble my father?" I responded when I stepped out of the shower.

"I guess it is a good thing you guys are the same height," Yami groaned from the bedroom.

After I dressed in the all too familiar outfit my father was usually seen wearing, a dark-gray long-sleeves shirt, a sleeve-less vest, dark blue pants and black shoes. I turned and ambled into the bedroom. "Yami, could you please help me with this hair gel?"

Yami let his blue eyes aimlessly flicker to my small, petite figure and his mouth hung open. In the place of the tomboy he grew up with was an even more tomboy. The tips of my black hair were dyed a dark and dull red in color and the fringe that was usually a raven black was dyed a bright, golden yellow. If Yami did not know better - the girl in front of him was no longer Yugi's daughter but very well could be his twin sister.

"Wow," Yami breathed out in awe. "I swear to God, Meta. You liik exactly like Yugi. You will be him after this."

"That is what I am aiming for here," I answered with a small smile. "Seriously, though, the Box Cards Back is security held up tight - if I even have hopes of passing off - I will need your help also, Yami."

"How so?" Yami inquired as he squirted gel into both of his hands. "I do not have to pass as my father, do I?"

I smirked a bit at the comment. "Actually, that is part of it. I also need you to be my voice."

"What?" Yami bellowed.

" I mean, would it not look weird if Joey Wheeler's son came with Yugi Moto? So - you will be posing as your Dad throughout this entire ordeal. Plus, I cannot talk - since, of course, I have a girl's voice. So you have to be my voice," I answered with a sharp smile.

"Your dad has a high pitch voice - you could still pass," Yami protested to start an argument with me, but, as we all know, how this would end. "You will be find. Just wear gloves. You got girl hands with the black nail polish and all."

"Have you heard my father?" I gasped out. "He has the deep, mysterious, secretive, ancient voice! You were watching Joey's old, dueling videos again weren't you last night! Weren't you, Yami Wheeler!"

"Maybe you have a point there, Meta," Yami muttered and lathered his hands with even more of the damned, cursed hair gel. "But, make sure no one touches your hair. It hurts."

He purposely poked one of the spikes which would soon total in five like Yugi. I had finally achieved in being my father's duplicate. I finally had the tri-colored, extremely, extravagant hair featuring mutilate layers like a long, blond, crooked, pointy locks for my fringe and five, large spikes colored the all too familiar pure, raven black with a crimson sheen. I will be the first to admit - dying only certain parts of your hair - specifically the tips of the back of your hair. But, somehow I managed to finish it all.

"Meta," Yami asked after fifteen minutes of silence. "Look in the mirror."

"Did you mess up, Yami? I swear, if you did, Yami, I will hurt you. I am going to hurt you big time," I called in outrage as my violet eyes flickered to the rather, enormous bathroom mirror - a gasp of shock echoed throughout the room.

Looking back at me was me.

I mean, mentally and emotionally and spiritually it was me. Meta Moto. A fifteen year old teenager and daughter of the world famous King of Games. But, the image looking back at me was none other than a duplicate of the King of Games himself. Against all odds, I had managed to look exactly as my father.

"Meta," Yami groaned. "What have you gotten me into?"

"A job to save the world," I retorted with a wide smirk. "Come on, on the bright side, you are always complaining about not having a job. So here. Here is one."

"That is not what I mean," Yami countered.

Just then a Serenity Taylor entered the room.

"Yami, Yugi, your father needs-" Serenity called out but then met me. "Yugi?"

"Hi, Aunt Serenity," Yami muttered under his breathe in a direct monotone language. "What are you doing here?"

"Yes," I echoed sheepishly, avoiding the older woman's piercing, emerald eyes - it reminded me some what of Hope. "We thought you went home three hours ago with Terry and Hope."

"You mean while you left, saying you have to use the bathroom? When you actually locked the bathroom door; sneaked out the window; scaled down the side of the house; and ran around the corner to the department store? When you actually bought hair dye and hair gel?" Serenity answered, intentionally bringing guilt upon me as she eyed the hair gel in Yami's hands and red dye next to me on the counter. "What exactly are you planning, you two? And what are you doing looking as your father, Meta?"

"Posing as him," I admitted - for some reason, I could not lie to Serenity. "I am attempting to sneak out and pose as Dad in order to get into the Box Cards Bank. I just have to get what ever magic my dad storied in there."

"Meta," Serenity moaned - just like Yami (well, they are related). "Are you seriously, actually, going to go through with this?"

"I have too! It is the only way I even have a chance to bring him back!" I cried out.

"Who back?" Serenity asked.

Oops. Did I mention I have not told anyone I plan on bringing Atem back from the After Life.

"Atem," I whispered softly, turning away from Serenity.

"Atem? Pharaoh Atem? Spirit Atem? After life Atem?" Serenity questioned in a copy of my quiet tone. "Yami Yugi - Atem?"

Yami's head snapped in her direction. "What did you say?"

"Like you know, you are named after him. We all used to call him Yami Yugi," Serenity explained. "But, Meta, why?"

"Dad said it was the only way to save every one. He told me Atem was the only one who could save us all," I answered in a determined and loyal voice. "_Please understand this, Mrs. Taylor? This is not just something I want to do - it is something I feel that I have to do._"

Serenity paused, eyeing me with extreme wisdom. It was already quite really unnerving.

"Meta, do you realize your father once said those exact words? 'This is not just something I want to do - this is something I feel have to do. ' " Serenity commented softly.

I gawked for a moment at the thought of my own words being echoed by my father. Or, in this case, the entirely other way around.

"This whole exact duplicate of Yugi is getting really creepy," Yami stated.

"Totally," I responded as silence filled the world.

"Are you sure you do not need my help?" Yami asked again.

As I glared, Serenity paused. "Actually, Yami, I would prefer that you went with Meta. She does not sound like Yugi at all."

As I waltzed out of the room - practicing my father's walk, Yami followed.

"Told you," I bragged over my shoulder. "I have a high, shrill, beautiful, soprano voice. Unlike your high, squeaky tone."

"You forgot to mention annoying," Yami countered.

* * *

"Meta, where do we go?" Yami hissed as we entered Kaiba Box Cards Bank. "Because I am lost."

"I cannot talk so figure it out, Yami," I answered. "But go to the front desk; that is where everyone goes for withdrawing something."

As we approached, I felt the numerous stares upon me. Is this how my father always feels walking into a public area? Being King of Games must be very annoying and somewhat irritating at some points for my father.

"Hello, madame?" Yami questioned as we ambled aimlessly towards the teller. "Mr. Yugi Moto here would like to make a withdrawal."

The teller gasped at the name and gawked at me. "Oh, Mister Moto, sir. All right."

"He, unfortunately, has come down with a bad case of the flu and is not able to speak. So, I will be his voice on her- his own behalf," Yami announced.

"So, Mr. Moto... Your account is-" the teller began to say as she typed away at her computer. "Not listed?"

"That is impossible!" I called out in a hoarse and raspy voice, hopefully faking my soprano edge to it.

The teller gazed at me with flashing, emerald eyes. "Are you sure you did not take up an authorized account with Mr. Kaiba himself?"

Mentally, I slapped myself. "Of course. It has been a while. I guess I forgot."

The teller nodded and handed Yami a piece of paper. "By the way, Mr. Moto, it is a good think you brought someone here with you, no offense, but you just sound like a girl."

I merely growled in response.

"Come on, Met- Yugi," Yami called and grabbed my upper arm, dragging me towards the elevator, which, luckily, was empty at the given time.

"See - this is why you came along," I began with a sharp smirk. "Ha! Your aunt Serenity was right!"

"Your point? All right, Meta, this note says to talk to MK in office 217," Yami answered in monotone. "Who the heck is MK?"

I, meanwhile, groaned, letting my voice echo. "It is Mokuba Kaiba!"

"How do you know?" Yami questioned in worry.

"Because he goes by MK during busniess," I answered as the doors opened. "Purk up - get that Brooklyn accent going, Yami. It will be a miracle if we manage to fool Mokuba."

"We cannot fool Mokuba," Yami stated. "Besides, my dad has brown eyes - not blue. But we can try, right?"

"I have blue contacts in my pocket," I answered absently.

Yami stared at me in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I was bored at the store and wanted blue contacts."

"Wow... That was random," Yami muttered under his breathe.

With a small flicker of hope, we approached Mokuba Kaiba's office door. With a knock, the door flew open, revealing the middle aged man with a wide smile. The black hair, still long as ever, fell to middle back and his dull, violet blue eyes flashed still with a hint of youth. But the moment he laid lose exact eyes on me - a look of confusion settled across his face. Then he gazed at Yami and, suddenly, a look of amuzement crossed the same way.

"Come on inside, _Yugi and Joey_," Mokuba exclaimed and frantically ushered inside his large office.

"How did you know?" Yami asked frigidly, narrowing his royal, blue eyes. "Are you pyschic or something, rich boy?"

"Yami, you have blue eyes, first off. Not your father's brown ones. By the way, do not call me rich boy. I am an adult to you still - twenty years older I might add," Mokuba answered with a chuckle. "And, Meta, though Yugi may wear black, he for sure does not wear black nail polish."

"Told ya," Yami hissed behind me.

"Do you mind telling me why you are posing as your fathers? Meta, specifically, why are you posing as man?" Mokuba questioned. "Though, I have to give you credit - you look just like Yugi. Yami, I have known Joey for quite a long while, so, I know you do not look like him that much.. So you want to tell me what you guys are here for?"

"My father may have an authorized account-" I began until Mokuba cut me off.

"Yugi told you the past then?"

"Not exactly. Joey told me. My father and mother are in sort of a dillema right about now."

"And that would be?"

"Listen to me," Yami interjected, his voice layered thick with ice. "Some evil shadows are after Yugi in order to gain his soul for some odd reason unknown to anyone. Last time I check, he was on the run - Tea went after him. Meta is the only one who can save the world, but she has to get someone. And the only way to do so is to do that is to get whatever magic is hidden away in Yugi's account."

Mokuba gasped then sighed. "You have to talk to Seto, Meta. Yugi took up the account with him."

"Kaiba? But he hates my guts!" Yami stammered.

"You do not have to go," I retorted in a sarcastic tone. "You are the one who never wanted to come in the first time."

"Yeah, but now this is getting very interesting," Yami claimed.

I groaned and turned to Mokuba. "Where is he? We desperately need to gain access today."

"Meta, he is back at the main building," Mobuka whispered. "He told me not to send anyone over - not even in life or death."

"What if it is his life at stake?" I answered.


	8. Yugi's Message

"Seto?" Mokuba called out as he entered Seto Kaiba's office - rather spacious office, I might add - with Yami and me at his heels. "Seto?"

"Mokuba, why are you in here?" Kaiba responded in monotone with a hint of annoyance lacing the outer edges of it as he stood up from behind his desk and ambled towards us three. "I thought I told you not to bother me today of all days."

"We need some thing very quickly," Mokuba replied in a soft voice. "It is quite the matter of life and death again."

"Yugi? Wheeler?" Kaiba commented as he gazed at Yami and me over his young brother's shoulder. "Why are you here? Please explain to me what is going on, Mokuba."

"First off, we have a problem, Mr. Kaiba. Secondly, I am not Yugi," I announced as I stepped forward, my amethyst eyes narrowing in concentration. "I am Meta, his daughter."

Kaiba gawked for a second at my appearance and then shook his head with a small smile. "Posing as your father, are we? Meta, please explain."

"Seto, like I said before," Mokuba interjected as he closed the office door. "We have a very life or death matter on our hands."

"Do not be dramatic, Mokuba," Kaiba chuckled out. "Nothing is life or death to me anymore. Not if it involved Great Pharaohs, Duel Monsters, Millennium Items, and Shadow Realms."

"But what if it does," I muttered under my breathe.

Kaiba, his blue eyes widening ever so slightly, gazed at my small figure. "Damn. Meta; Wheeler; Mokuba; come inside, hurry."

"All right, but I am Yami, by the way. You know - just for the record," Yami commented as he waltzed past a middle aged Kaiba. "But, seriously, I am not my father - so do not think of calling me Wheeler."

"I still call you Wheeler, kid," Kaiba answered as we entered the office. "So, Meta, why are you looking drastically like your father? And what is the problem that you so desperately need to bother me now of all days?"

"Long story short - my parents are missing; an evil band of black shadows are trying to kidnap me while stealing everyone's souls; my Duel Monsters decide to talk to me; and, the only way to save the world and us all, is to bring back someone from the Afterlife - and I need the magic that my father had storied away in his authorized account," I explained to the business man. "And I need you to do so."

"And what do I have to do with any thing here?" Kaiba questioned after a short, silent pause.

"Get me into my father's account," I urged on.

Kaiba hesitated to acquiesce, but did so. He led us all to his desk and typed some numbers into his keyboard as they appeared on the computer screen. All of the sudden, a secret compartment swung open from the blue wall. I ambled towards it - pausing to imbibe the sight.

"It is just a piece of paper," I answered to all the awaiting ears, my amethyst eyes widening ever so slightly. "What magic was Dad talking about that he put here?"

"Is there any thing written on that paper?" Yami inquired as he peered over my shoulder. "I mean - it has to be some thing important, right? Why else would we have to go through all of this trouble to find this account?"

_"Just remember to remember_," a voice echoed from some where in the room as I hesitantly reached over into the compartment for the piece of paper.

I perked up at the sound of the voice. "Yami, did you say something just now?"

"No," he said in response. "But, Meta, what does it say?"

_"Meta, embrace your magic. Remember," _the voice spoke once more as I grasped the paper - my violet eyes flickering to my pocket from where the voice seemed to be coming from - my deck. _"Read your father's wish..."_

Needless to say, I obeyed on my own free will and gazed at the notebook paper in my trembling, pale hands. It appeared as if my father had hastily scrawled a random thought at the moment he wrote this on a sheet of ever day, normal use paper.

_Meta,_

_Do not think you can ever fool me with that act of yours or however way you used to somehow manage to work yourself far into this matter. I am your father - I know you. Anyway, if you are reading right now, it means that the evil I sense presently has sadly been able to get a hold of either your mother, me - or, even possibly both of us. Meta, if you are reading this, then you all ready have the magic. Now you just need to do what I told you to do. Bring him back. I harnessed this magic to show you my past. I never intended for this obstacle, though. I am deathly sorry I was not able to protect you from all of this danger - not able to keep you safe. But you need to bring Atem back. You will find a way too. I know you will - you are my daughter, Meta. You can bring Atem back and survive all this. Hopefully this magic will give you at least a fighting chance._

_Dad_

_-Remember; change; and remember once more: remember, Meta, this and only this alone._

"Meta, what does it say?" Yami questioned as I gazed at him, Kaiba, and Mokuba in disbelief.

"Dad some how knew all of this would happen - he has it all planned. he told me to remember. He said I all ready had the magic. I could use it in some way to bring Atem back," I stammered in response.

"Atem?" Kaiba whispered in awe. "Meta, do you know who-"

"Yes," I answered curtly. "I know all about the past. Battle City and your crazed obsession with dueling my father? That ring a bell at all?"

"You just got burned, rich boy," Yami muttered under his breathe.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are the carbon copy of your father, Wheeler?"

"And your point would be?"

"Remember; change; and remember once more," I read aloud to the curious ears in the large room. "Whatever that means. And, Yami, stop arguing with Kaiba – you are just like Joey with that temper and all. Seriously, Kaiba's as old as your dad, himself. He ain't no teenager any more. So get a grip on yourself, Yami! God!"

Mokuba softly chuckled in light humor at my comment while Yami merely glared at me without so much as a sarcastic remark in response. Kaiba, his blue eyes wide in my direction, stared as I aimlessly gazed at the paper in my hands. His expression carried on a mix of emotions dealing with utter disbelief, complete shock, and very awed nature. Meanwhile, I twirled a lock of my blonde fringe around my index finger as he looked my way. Was he actually looking at Meta Moto – or was this actually Yugi Moto? It was just not possible for Yugi's daughter to resemble him so much – physically and in her personality. She was just like her father that is scared Kaiba. Sure, before Atem left – where their story ended for us – Yugi Moto was this quiet, reserved, yet loyal and kind and pure soul to all. But, after the Great Pharaoh – Yugi Moto transformed into this outgoing, outspoken, confident and strong and pure and kind teenager. He had that competitive nature and content yet loyal expression. But Meta Moto was all that and more. She often showed signs of Tea Gardener in her. Seemingly during times as her temper flared or she gave those all too familiar friendship speeches or when she bickered in good nature with Yami, Terry, and Hope.

It was uncanny! Extremely unbelievable and strictly impossible! It was-

"Yo, Dad," a voice reverberated off of the ivory walls that bordered Kaiba's office. "Dad, I swear. One of these days you have to teach me a killer point of Duel Monsters so I can finally crush Josh. He beats me every day! I think he secretly can read my mind."

A young girl, aged fifteen years like me, barreled into the room and halted in front of Kaiba. She had long, pure raven hair, much like her mother's. Her blue eyes glistened brightly as she gazed at Kaiba with a hint of irritation to them. She stood tall – having inherited her father's height. Her name was Kisara Kaiba, the daughter of Seto Kaiba.

Back, ages ago, I once heard Mom mention a concept to my dad that I never quite grasped. It amazed Tea how Kaiba was such a fatherly figure; something she never thought was possible. After Yugi commented that times had changed – people changed with them, the conversation was dropped. But after discussing the past with Joey, I understood more to Kaiba's story. Twenty years ago, a month after Atem left and Kaiba started to believe, Yugi caught wind of Kaiba sharing a secret romance with a certain person no one would ever think of as Kaiba's girl. Her name was Ishizu Ishtar.

They married a mere year later. Josh Kaiba was born nine months later, a bouncing, baby boy – the first and only son of Seto Kaiba. Two years after – Kisara Kaiba was born – named after a name that Kaiba supposedly in a dream – the night before Kisara came into the world. Surprisingly, I was born a day later – Atem's anniversary – May 18th. All was good for Kaiba, Ishizu, Josh, and Kisara. Josh was like his father – business man slash duelist. Kisara, on the other hand, was a warrior duelist to put nicely. She was the type that can start a fight and win. She was strong, determined, and loyal; a lot of people admire her. She can defend herself very easily and can handle the duel disk like no other. Though, she does have a short temper like her father, Kisara was a fighter. Once a fighter – always a fighter.

Thirteen years past, with Ishizu becoming pregnant with a baby girl who Kaiba and her were planning to name Isis. Sadly, Ishizu died giving birth to young, Isis Kaiba who perished shortly after when her heart failed. After his youngest daughter's and wife's death, Kaiba immersed himself greater in his business dealing with Kaiba Corportation, but remained less tightly wound, dealing with his children's lives and Duel Monsters still.

"Kisara, not now please," Kaiba protested to his daughter.

"Dad, no one is here to-" Kisara pleaded under her crystal eyes met my own amethyst. "Meta Moto?"

"How did you know it was me?" I questioned in slight confusion.

"That hair gel is wearing off," she explained as I absently reached a hand to the back of my hair when Yami seemed to have forgotten.

"Nice going, Mr. Wheeler," I hissed at my friend.

"KISARA!" a voice called from the door way of the office where eighteen-year-old, Josh Kaiba, entered the room with a duel disk strapped to his long, arm. "Come on, Dad is apparently busy."

"Josh, Kisara; hello," Mokuba said from beside me.

Josh and Kisara cast confused gazes at all of us. "What is going on here?"

"The end of the world," Yami muttered under his breathe.

Kisara widened her blue eyes in confusion. "All right?"

"Kids, could you please go?" Kaiba pleaded to his children.

"Why?" Kisara wondered aloud.

"Hey, Meta - there is something else in here..." Yami announced to the room. "A Duel Monsters card it looks like."

I headed back to the compartment that acted as my father's authorized account and pushed away Yami's head. "Let me see if I can reach it."

With a grunt of exhaustion, I withdrew my arm to find in fact a Duel Monsters card.

"Oh my god."

For in my hand, I held no other than Slifer the Sky Dragon.


	9. Hide And Seek: Magic

"Slifer" Yami questioned as he peered over my shoulder to stare at the Egyptian God card which I currently held in my hands. "Why in the world would he give it – that card – to you of all people? You have only ever dueled once!"

Kaiba gaped at me as I shook my head in confusion at Yami's statement. "Meta, you only recently started dueling?"

"Technically yes; my first official duel was five days ago – in English class, we had a mini Duel Monsters tournament in recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of Duel Monsters since it was created fifty years ago by Pegasus. But, the night before my parents went morning, the night before my first official duel; my father taught me the basics of combat, magic, and trap. We dueled together as I tried out my new deck," I answered softly as I continued to gaze at Slifer the Sky Dragon. "I won the entire tournament anyway."

Kaiba merely blinked in a return response, his piercing eyes glowing. "Meta, you just started dueling this week?"

"My mom said that I would not let Duel Monsters take over my life – like it did hers and Dad's. So you see my dilemma. Never dueled at all before," I responded in my high soprano voice.

"Wow," Kisara breathed out as she ambled absently towards me with an awed expression. "Meta, that must just sort of suck a bit. Your dad is the King of Games, and you only just started playing."

"Hard to believe, I know. A Wheeler had more dueling experience than a Moto," Yami commented with a soft chuckle. But now, the Daughter of the King of Games has the legendary Egyptian God Card – Slifer the Sky Dragon. Meta, are you sure you can handle this?"

"Sure. My dad did," I snapped at my childhood friend. 'So why can't I?"

Silence filled the room as Kaiba sighed rather loudly. "Meta, dear, Slifer is a very powerful creature. To summon it takes a very large amount of power. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"Kaiba, sir," I countered as I glared at him. 'Why would it take power to summon it? I do not even have a duel disk… Only my father's old one back at home. And Lord knows I cannot step foot back there again with all the evil shadows roaming around."

Kaiba paused, registering his thoughts – preparing for a rebuttal. "Meta, Slifer contains ancient magic. And even if you summon it on a duel disk – it will take a whole lot of energy just to keep going. You know of Atem and his ancient powers and all, so Slifer is just like that almost."

"What are you saying?" I gasped out. "Joey told me-"

"Didn't your father tell you about the past?"

"Joey Wheeler did. My dad is missing," I whispered in reply. "And I can't summon it on a duel disk – like I said, I do not have one."

Kisara waltzed to her father's office closet and swung open the supply door. "I think I can help with that."

I stared at her as Kaiba stared at the Egyptian God Card once again. "Kaiba, why do you keep looking at Slifer?"

"I am not looking at that," he stammered in fear as I realized his ocean eyes gazing behind Yami and beyond the card I held in my hand. "I am looking at thee giant shadow behind Wheeler!"

"Hello young, Meta," the shadow sneered. "You may have defeated my comrades – but you will never destroy me. I guarantee you it will never happen. So why not come with me while you still can to keep every one you love safe?"

"Oh shoot!" I muttered under my breath. "Not again."

"Meta!" Kisara bellowed from across the room. "Take this duel disk!"

What was with the concept of duel disk popping up whenever and wherever you needed them – like the situations always involving evil, black shadows? I shook my head and watched as, with a flip of her wrist, Kisara flung the duel disk at me. I watched as it hurdled across the space in between us and towards me. I stuck my hand in front of my face, turning my body slightly at an angle, making no effort whatsoever to catch the disk as it sailed straight into my open palm. And with a grunt of exhaustion, I slipped the duel disk onto my left arm.

"Time to duel," I muttered to the shadow when a sudden thought occurred to me. "Problem!"

"What?" Mokuba yelled back at me in panic.

"I do not have a deck. Only Slifer!" I cried out. "What should I do now?"

"Play the Sky Dragon card!" Kaiba answered as the power went out, leaving only the dark and moving shadows – eager to capture my friends' souls and me – body, mind, and soul.

"But you just said-"

"I know what I said – but just do it, Meta!" Kaiba replied as he dashed over to his desk – no doubt to retrieve his own duel disk. "Just hurry, Meta!"

"Now I summon – Slifer the Sky Dragon!" I cried and placed the card on the duel disk.

All at once, a flash of light erupted in the room. The shadow screamed rather loudly and was thrown against the wall. A roar cut through the air as I let my amethyst eyes go out the window in unbelieving shock. For, outside and wrapped around the entire circumference of Kaiba Corporation main building, Slifer the Sky Dragon – one of the three legendary Egyptian God cards, let out a ferocious snarl as the once blue sky suddenly was covered in pure darkness. Dark was everywhere – thus, the black shadow surely had the upper hand here. I let out the breath I realized I had been holding and felt the adrenaline course through me, making strength come easy for me. Slifer gazed into the office from the outside window – his head was larger than belief.

"Is it any use to have him attack? He is outside!" I called out in panic. "Kaiba, help me!"

Kaiba pressed a button under his desk as the window slowly opened – excuse me, I forgot to mention, the window was actually a glass wall. It rose till I could feel the cool breeze of the outside reach me. Kaiba appeared beside me – duel disk strapped to his arm.

"Meta, call out your attack. I summon Blue Eyes White Dragon," Kaiba smirked as the shadows crawled along the wall while the White Dragon appeared beside Kaiba. "Blue Eyes, protect the others. Go, now, Meta!"

Kisara, Josh, and Yami, and Mokuba all hovered behind us – seeking desperately for some form of protection from the evil.

"Slifer! Destroy that shadow!" I commanded as the enormous dragon roared aloud once more before a ball of fire slash light formed; he shot it out of his first mouth and aimed at the black shadow who screamed in pain as a response.

"We will defeat you, Meta Moto! And you will never be able to bring back Atem!" the shadow cried as it disappeared in a gray haze.

And at once – all the adrenaline left my body. I knew what Kaiba was talking about. I felt exhausted – I collapsed, and, if not for Yami, I would have hit the ground. At once, the light returned as Kisara, Josh, and Kaiba hurried to where I lay.

"All right," I muttered in pure exhaustion. "You were right, Kaiba. But only this once."

"Since when does summoning monsters take up your energy?" Yami questioned as a short pause; Slifer was all ready back in the card, gone.

"Since Meta summoned an Egyptian God card," Kaiba answered as he knelt beside me. "Like I warned you before, Meta, Slifer is a being of ancient magic. Trust me, I should know. Though it may just be a card, Slifer the Sky Dragon's power actually lives within it."

"I wish you had told me that before," I stuttered in reply as Yami helped me up. "That would have probably made things easier so I would know what to expect, Mr. Kaiba."

"Sorry, Meta. I did not know you would react just like your father did," Kaiba retorted.

"As if I need to be even more like my dad. What do you mean, though? Dad collapsed after playing Slifer?" I inquired in amazement at the thought Yugi Moto – the rock of my life – being too weak to fight.

"After, Atem, of course," Kaiba replied as Yami steadied my trembling form. "It takes some getting use to not having his spirit infused with the all powerful Nameless Pharaoh. Atem gave his strength for such things. But he handled it well after the first few times…"

"That does make sense," I groaned. "I mean, sadly, I do not have ancient magic to help me."

"You seemed all right – for your first time," Kaiba stated hesitantly. "But the more you work with your duel disk; you will become attuned with shock waves and all."

"So… I can keep this?" I asked as my response.

Kaiba merely nodded.

I think he was just annoyed with helping a Moto and a Wheeler.

* * *

We all ambled up the drive to the Wheeler residence – well, Yami, Mokuba and I that is. Kaiba trailed behind far behind the pack, muttering under his breathe about something that had to do with a Wheeler's home, Joey especially, underdog, and 3rd top duelist of the world. I merely shook my head and waltzed through the front door.

"MOM! DAD!" Yami called as we all crowded in the rather large kitchen. "We need to talk to you."

"What is wrong, Yami?" Mai questioned as she saw us all enter the room. "Mokuba? Seto Kaiba? What are you two doing here?"

"Trying to help, Kaiba grumbled as a reply.

"Kaiba," Joe exclaimed in alarm as he spotted his old rival in his kitchen. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"Listen – the only reason I am here is because of those two. Yami sure is your kid, Wheeler. Yugi's girl is the same," Kaiba explained as both Mai and Joey gawked at me; I knew what they were seeing – Yugi, my father, copied before them.

"Meta, why do you look exactly like your father?" Mai asked softly.

I paused and smiled. "Yami made me."

"WHAT?!" Yami gasped out.

"The truth," Joey answered in a serious tone, not showing signs of the rambunctious teenager he was once before. "Meta."

"My dad hid some thing in the account which Kaiba was protecting. He left me a note and Slifer the Sky Dragon and some magic that will let me go back in time. The problem is that I cannot freaking figure out where the magic is!" I exclaimed in return.

"Slow down, Meta. Now. You. Have. Slifer?" Joey said slowly.

I merely nodded. "My dad left it for me."

"This is getting too dangerous. I think it is personally going all Twilight Zone for me," Yami muttered under his breath.

"You are telling me," I responded in a low voice. "I honestly do not know how my father handles this. This porcupine head!"

"Touché."

"Meta, go wash your hair and get the hair gel out," Mai breathed.

I cast a glance out and trudged up the stairs.

* * *

I laid upon my bed later that night as Yami lounged out beside me. Our violet and blue eyes gaze out at the starry sky while I absently fingered the golden star chip that my father gave me. my deck was in my other hand – Magician's Valkyria gazing up at me. Yami ran a hand through his dark, blonde hair while holding his favorite card – Solar Flare Dragon.

"Yami," I wondered aloud. "What do you think my father meant by 'remember; change; and remember once more? ' "

"Remember something; go back in time and change it; then remember it again. That part is easy. It is so you do not change history; I think your dad said that only so you could experience history. That part is so easy to understand. The part I am confused with is what the magic is," Yami answered in a deep voice.

I twirled the star chip in my hand. "Exactly. You know, on a random note – after al this is over, and we still have whatever magic, of course, I want to go back and just watch my father. In action, you know?"

"Like in Duel Monsters; Dungeon Dice; -" Yami questioned before I interrupted him.

"Oh God, to see Dad against Duke Devilion.. That would be awesome. I wish I could have seen that."

And with Yami touching my hand, we faded away.


	10. Dungeon Dice Diaster

I fell to the ground with a muted thud; my raven hair fell into my amethyst eyes as I let out a grunt of pain and exhaustion while letting my eyes focus in on my surroundings. Light flooded the room from above as my sense picked up cheers of victory; voices of encouragement; and grunts of pain. I absent mindlessly placed a pale hand to my forehead to relieve the pain that thundered in my head from hitting it on the dull, blue tiled floor. Wait? Tile floor? The floor in the Wheeler's guest room was a white and carpeted - not this pure, sky blue color that I was now staring at in front of me. Where was I? And what had just happened? One moment I was talking with Yami about how I wished, after this entire ordeal was over and we still had whatever magic that my father left for me was still in my possession, I wished that I could have seen Dad in action against a crazed Duke Devlin. I let my violet eyes flicker towards the sounds I was hearing as if a game was enduring to my direct left and nearly had a seizure at the site of a young teenager with spiky, tori-colored head of blonde, black, and crimson.

He stood a top a blue, dueling stand. Only, his opponent was a younger version of Duke Devlin. And the game was Dungeon Dice Monsters - not Duel Monsters. I took a step out of the shadows in time to witness Duke's Orgath the Relentless staring down the opponent's Thunder ball - destroying his monster. I gasped - the blood rushing to my head in utter shock and complete disbelief. The young teenager facing off to Duke was none other than my father - Yugi Moto.

Yugi cringed at the sudden burst of light and shock waves as from Thunder ball's destruction. Suddenly, the obnoxious cheering from three girls invaded my thoughts as I recognized a young Joey Wheeler in a dog suit - an ugly one at that. And, in front of me, was a teenage Tristan Taylor and a teenage form of my mother - Tea Gardner.

"Meta, what happened?" a voice spoke from behind me as Yami stepped into trail beside me. "And why is a kid who looks like your dad battling a guy who resembles Duke Devlin?"

"Remember how I wished I had seen my dad and Duke at it?" I answered as Yami merely nodded. "Well, I think we may now be in the past."

"What gave that away? Your small, preschool Dad or the screeching cheers from your mom?" Yami gasped out in awe as my father's Mighty Mage was destroyed by Orgath. "Is that my dad is a dog suit?"

I nodded in response.

"How did you do this, Meta?" Yami asked slowly, hesitant to want to know the actual answer.

"I have no idea," I whispered as my eyes widened at the site of Joey launching into an inspiring speech. "Dude, your dad was..."

"Weird back then," Yami grumbled in reply under his breath.

As my father clutched his dice in response, I spotted a translucent figure floating beside my father. He was quite shorter and vertically challenged to the one who was taking a stand for Joey. He almost seemed younger in a way - like he had never been in any trouble or witnessed a treacherous incident in his short lived life. His violet eyes glistened with purity and innocence that one could only dream of finding in any soul - especially a teenager. His smile was full of shining light and a helping hand.

"Let's do this, partner," he said with a wide grin and my father managed a small smile simultaneously.

"What in the world..." I muttered under my breath, a petty voice caught in the whisper of the howling wind. "Yami, did you see that?"

The ghost like version of my father vanished as suddenly as it came. Though, quickly and quietly, Yugi's Knight of Twin Swords was killed, the destruction sending shock waves that even I picked up from here in the shadows. Yami and I slowly and hesitantly stepped out of the depths of the shadows that cowered along the walls of the arena and approached the rail, eager to see more of the action between Duke and Yugi. Orgath the Relentless raised his sword and slashed at Yugi - cutting him down with the attack. Yugi lost one of his remaining heart points and grunted at the shock waves that hit him full force. Even I could pick up the waves from where I was - meters away from him. It made me wonder how my father usually dealt with this type of situations. Suddenly, I saw what no one else did - the ghost like version once more appearing and whispering something to Yugi. As I peered closer, and I doubt no one else recognized this, I noticed how Yugi was holding his left wrist ever so slightly. No doubt that he hit it against the dueling stand while the shock waves banged against his small, wiry form.

"NO! DAD!" I exclaimed suddenly.

Tristan turned around and cast a curious gaze in my direction, but then he looked back out to the game as Duke announced Yugi's problem of not being able to dimension any more dice. Though, as I watched intently, Yugi summoned the all too familiar Dark Magician. It was uncanny, watching my father's signature monster on the field. It was quite funny as well as letting a deja vu feeling settle upon me. A few years back, my father had managed to find a rare copy of the discontinued Dark Magician card and inserted it into my deck. And of all the times I had watched my father duel, each time was a memorable and phantom shivering moment.

Suddenly, I felt shock waves hit me, this time from the Dark Magician destroying Duke's Orgath. Yami let out a low whistle as soon after, Monster Cannon shot at the Dark Magician's possible hide out under his Magical Hats. Luckily, he missed the shot. I was on the very edge as the Dark Magician jumped out of the Hat and continued his rampage to Duke's remaining heart point. He finished Duke off and we all cheered, Yami and I excluded. Suddenly, a faint light emanated from Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, and only again I seemed to notice. I narrowed my violet eyes in confusion as a blur occurred, and a more pure and innocent - almost more friendly look was visible in Yugi's all too familiar amethyst eyes. I locked my gaze with my father who looked just a little younger than my age - perhaps a year or so. Yami seemed to be looking at Joey intently, I might add, in awe. Joey rid himself of the very embarrassing dog suit and hustled over to Yugi.

"You did it, Yugi! Aw.. Thank you so much for getting me out of that dog suit, Yug!"

All in all, Yugi smiled in response. "Your welcome, Joey."

I leaned towards Yami. "That is your father, you do realize that... Right?"

"I realize that very well thank you very much, Meta," Yami mumbled under his breath. "Mom is right. I look exactly like Dad at this age. Oh God."

"You are telling me," I answered in my high soprano voice. "Look at my dad. He look just like me. This is so uncanny and too weird!"

"You see - I told you not to dye your fringe blonde, or your ends red! But no one ever listens to Yami Wheeler, now do they? This is exactly why you are always called a duplicate of Yugi," Yami explained as he crossed his arms in mock amusement. "With your normal, pure black hair we all knew you were the dude's daughter. But this blonde bangs and us being back in time... You are the female King of Games. You do realize this could pose as a small problem, right?"

"Thank you so much, Oh gracious leader," I hissed in return, my voice layered with sarcasm. "But I had to pass as my father that time."

"Joey?" a voice suddenly asked from behind us as Yami and I huddled in the shadows, whispering amongst ourselves.

"Yam, are they talking to you?" I inquired as I recognized the voice to belong the Tristan - the father of Terry and Hope.

"Joey? Who is this?" Tristan spoke again - I froze and titled my head to the side, attempting to hide my identity in fear it would affect the future; or present in my case.

"Tristan, who are you talking too?" Tea, my mother, questioned from beside Tristan - Joey and Yugi approached quickly as well.

"Um... Joey and his friend," Tristan answered with uncertainty.

"Hey, genius. I'm right here," Joey responded as he smacked his friend on the back of the head.

"Reminds me of Terry," Yami commented with a soft chuckle.

"The apple apparently does not fall too far from the tree, eh?" I said in return.

"Why does this guys look exactly like me?" Joey asked, his Brooklyn accent heavily annunciated.

"Plan?" Yami hissed at me.

"Go with me," I answered.

"Who are you two?" Yugi wondered aloud, his voice high and shrill - talk about your late bloomer.

I kept my back to the four, avoiding eye contact. "Swedish exchange students."

"Yugi," Tea breathed out in awe. "She looks kind of like you from behind."

"Except she ain't short," Tristan commented with a soft chuckle and a wry smile.

Yugi let out a rather audible sigh and close his violet eyes - shaking his head ever so slightly in the process. "Tristan, really? Must we go through this again?"

"Just who are you?" Joey called out hesitantly.

With a depressed groan, I turned to face the four - Yami following suite. Joey's eyes bugged out at the sight of Yami; Tristan and Tea gawked at the similarities between Joey and Yami - Yugi and me; and my father, Yugi, narrowed his eyes, my eyes, at my small figure and opened his mouth to speak, but he quickly shut it at the last moment. Joey took a wide range of steps forward to face Yami as they just merely and simply stared at one another. I gazed at Yugi and let out a small chuckle as I to shook my head in confusion and stress. About to say something, I gasped suddenly when I spotted the same ghost like apparition, only this time, the one looked a bit different than my father - he was some what taller and held a more determined aurora to himself with three blonde streaks dotting his spiky hair. He must be Atem; and, if I was correct, he had no comprehension of any thing that he knew. All he knew was that he was related to Egyptian orgins and had been trapped inside Yugi's puzzle for some time now.

"Yami, do you see that?" I questioned a loud, not meaning to draw any more attention to myself.

Yami gazed at Yugi and merely shrugged in return. "Am I supposed too?"

"Yes," I answered in a shaky voice. "Because I do not want to feel like I am going insane."

"Then, all right. I see it," Yami spoke.

By then, Atem's eyes were locked with my own violet ones. "Can you see me?"

"Dear God, I hope so," I retorted and took a step towards Atem - but Yugi stepped away as well. "Or am I just talking to myself? Because, right now I have a creepy feeling I am insane."

Yugi shook his head in confusion. "Just who exactly are you two?"

"Dad - I mean, my name is Meta. And this is my friend, Yami."

The blood faded away from Atem's face, leaving him drastically pale, at the sound of the name. "Yami?"

I thought that name was known later on.

Yami smiled and gave a feeble wave. "Yo. What is up?"

"Yami?" Joey inquired as he curled his lips into a look of pure disgust. "What kind of name is that?"

Yami crossed his names in response to Joey's action and turned his head as a counter. "The name you would name your kid one day, just because it is that cool!"

"So you say," Joey breathed out in exhaustion.

Yugi continued to stare in silence as Yami and Joey bickered on and on; Atem was still in sight and studying my seemingly every move. "Meta... Who are you exactly?"

"Her strength is what stands out to me," Atem thought in return through the mind link which he and Yugi shared. "It reminds me some of you, Yugi."

"I can also hear you, you know?" I called out. "Through the mind link as well."

Atem froze as well as every one in hearing distance. "You can here me?"

"Hear who?" Tea muttered in a strained voice, trying to comprehend everything.

"The Spirit of the Puzzle," I answered in my high soprano voice.

"Spirit of the Puzzle?" Tea echoed and whirled to face Yugi who looked purely frightened and mildly horrified.

"You can hear me?" Atem spoke once more, telepathically I might add.

"Apparently, or am I stuttering?" I admitted. "Though, I have no clue how."

"Freaky," Joey and Yami commented in sync with one another, turning all attention on them.

"Look who is talking," Tristan whispered to Joey.

"Seriously," Yugi said in terror. "Who are you two? And, Meta, how can you and hear the Spirit?"

"Blood relation," Yami muttered under his breath - luckily, no one hear him, or so I thought.

"So, you are his daughter, are you not?" Atem inquired with a sudden wide grin. "I recognize your strength - so much like his as well. And the resemblance is a bit too uncanny for belief. And - if you are here as of this moment - then you harness great magic. Much like the power of the Millennium Puzzle. Some how you were bestowed some of its magic... The clone of power is just too similar."

"Who's daughter, Spirit?" Yugi asked, trying to meet the odds and ends of his partner's confusing thoughts.

"Meta.. What in the world is going on?" Yami questioned hesitantly.

"Not much. Just that he knows," I stated.

"Who?"

"The Spirit."

"You mean Atem?" Yami responded - I froze as did Atem.

"You moron!" I screeched in horror. "You probably just destroyed the future! The name is the key, nitwit! He is regaining all of his lost memories as I speak! Oh no! This cannot be happening! We altered the future! Yami... you and me... When we return... Nothing will be the same!"

"Oh my," Atem croaked out, his mind rapidly pooling with information. "Everything is..."

Then I remember my father's words: "Remember; change; and remember once more."

And with that said, I grasped Yami's hand and remembered the exact moment we landed here - transporting back in time.

* * *

The shock waves from Thunderball's attack swept towards us as Yami and I landed with a muted thud on the tiled floor once more. I propped myself onto my elbows and sent Yami a glare which was returned with a sheepish grin.

And with a shake of the head and a glare of irritation, we both once more faded into oblivion.

* * *

The bed creaked rather loudly as Yami crashed onto it. The carpet floor provided my cushion as I landed.

"You moron," I croaked in annoyance as I whirled to face my friend. "Never say his name in the past!"

"Sorry," Yami said. "Hey! There is always next time."

And then it finally dawned on me, we had perfected the magic.


	11. The Shadows Of the Shadow Realm

**Authors Note: I want to personally thank all you reviewers. This is my first story here and already have 51 reviews! Thank you so much! && btw - this chapter is dedicated to Darkest Ink, I love reading your reviews they make me smile.**

**Air**

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* * *

"**So let me get this straight," Joey stammered as he raised his hands in order to halt my long and down right rushed explanation of the day's events. "You and my son went back in time in order to get Atem?"

Quickly but accurately, I threw in some words of protests. "No! We never meant to travel back to the past where I just happened to be able to see and hear Atem; where Yami almost altered the future and saw you in a hideous dog suit or -"

"Wait!" Joey interrupted as he squeezed the his eyes shut tightly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you telling me that you two went back as far as Duke Devlin's Dungeon Dice fiasco? And saw me in that embarrassing dog outfit?"

"How in the world will you explain that one, Dad?" Yami commented from his spot on my bed while I sat across from him on a desk chair, and Joey was perched a top the desk itself.

"That was not one of my brighter moments," Joey mumbled to himself, I was just amazed he was at least able to form a coherent sentence during this time. "Believe me, son."

"I will say," Yami snorted in union.

"Anyway, the magic in the star chip which my father gave to me that night. All along - we had it. And i bet you a thousand and fifty bucks that the black shadows are after it as well!" I continued as I brush a lock of golden fringe behind my ear. "Which is all the more reason to find a way to bring Atem back."

"Or all the more reason to stop right here," Joey countered with a great sigh of relief. "Meta; Yami, you two are not allowed to mess with this any more. Yami, you almost destroyed the future, and there is not telling what else you can possibly mess up. And, meta, did your mother not tell you not to do any thing stupid? So what do you call this?"

"What Dad always did!" I fired back in return as I shot out of my seat to turn and face Joey."Doing reckless and stupid things in order to save those he cared about! Take the Dungeon Dice incident! My father -"

"Stood up for me, I know!" Joey retorted, his caramel eyes flashing with the seriousness of teh situation. "But in no way, was any one getting to see the Shadow Realm. Yes, Meta, your father risked his life plently of times for me, but in no way, shape, or form are you going to be following in his foot steps. This is not going to involve you two; or hope and Terry for that matter."

"But, Dad! How can you be so hypocritical about this concept? You did the same things at my age!' Yami exclaimed in sync to my statement. 'meta and I are trying to protect everyone. Plus, Yugi entrusted her with this task - so who are you to argue with his decision for his daughter?"

"Yami; Meta, both of you! No one is going to go after any black shadows and that is final! Do you understand me?" Joey commanded as he stood up.

My amethyst eyes glazed over with a tide of emotions that flood through me. "But, Joey! What about Atem?"

"Meta, I rpomise we will get your parents back - but you must stay out of this," Joey warned. "This is for your own good."

"But-"

Suddenly, the lights flickered on and off before finally going out.

"Oh man! That damn power!" Joey cried out in irritation.

"Dad, this is not power problems," Yami stated softly.

"Then what is it?"

Slowly but surely, I raced to the side of the room to retrieve my duel disk and deck. "Yami, het your deck and duel disk! Joey, stay by us!"

"Wait a minute, what the heck is going on here?" Joey protested, detecting the alertness of both mine and Yami's voices. "Yami; Meta/"

"Meta, I have my deck, but I do not own a functioning duel disk," Yami responded as he tightened his grip on his Duel Monsters deck. "Mine got destroyed last week when the vaccum exploded!"

"Joey," I snapped as I whirled around to face the older man once more. "Do you have a working duel disk and deck? i need your help here!"

"Yes," Joey answered hesitantly as he pulled his deck out from his jacket pocket. "But I have not used my duel disk in years. It may work; it may not."

"just where is it?" I inquired impatiently as I hustled towards Joey. "We need it, Joey! We do not have much time before they come!"

'Who comes?" Joey asked as he placed a hand on my overly tensed shoulder in hopes of calming my nerves. "Meta, tell me what is going on here. You both are frightening me!"

"Just tell me where it is!" Yami interjected as his father ushered in the direction of th eroom closet. "Now why the heck did you store it in the closet of the guest room, Dad?"

"Meta; Yami, what is happening?" Joey echoed as his eyes followed his son to the room closet.

"You know those black shadows?" I questioned with a rather direct and to the point of the matter as Joey nodded. "they can only come in through the dark. There is a reason they are only known as black shadows. Light creatures are the only things that can destroy them."

"Is Mom out of the house?" Yami asked as he pulled the duel disk off of the top shelf. "Seriously?"

"Yes, Mai is out with Serenity and Tristan. I know where her old duel disk is. Let me go and get it -"

"I do not think you have time to do so, Mr. Wheeler," a voice stated from the enterance of the room. "Because you have to get past me in order to do so. I see no chance of that happening in the near of distant future."

"Go! Solar Flare Dragon!" Yami called out suddenly. "Attack the black shadow!"

"Wait, Yami!" Joey cried back. "You got to make sure we are out of the way before a monster attacks!"

But, it was too late. The shock waves of the destruction sent Yami, Joey, and I flying into the ivory walls. The darkness did not recede, though, it merely grow if at all possible even after the black shadow disapppeared from yami's attack.

"There are more here," I hissed as Yami's Solar Flare Dragon retreated back to its card at Yami's command. "Magician Valkyria, come on out!"

The light magician appeared beside me and winked in greeting. "Hello again, dear one."

"Hi, Valkyria. I would love to chat, but I need you to protect Joey here in case the shadows come for him while he gets the duel ldisk of Mai's to use. Now, I summon Soul of Purity and Light," i called out as a bright light descended from the ceiling and levitated in front of my small and lithe figure; it faded away, revealing a ghost like and transparent angel in its place. "Soul, I need you to scout the area and warn me of any shadows."

Soul of Purity and Light simply cast a smile in my direction, small I might add, before she flew out the door. Valkyria positioned herself in front of Joey as the two ambled hesitantly out of the room in search of a duel disk. Yami summoned his Baby Dragon in front of him, and he armed his duel disk in front of his chest. Suddenly, a loud laugh filled the room as the darkness seemed to creep towards me, crawling along the shadowy walls. I stepped back into Yami's chest; I could feel the anxiety trembling with each shiver that crossed his body. A rather hard wind began to blow across the room, sealing the two of us in a tight embrace and caught in a raging whirl wing. I tried to yell for Yami to have his Baby Dragon attack the hidden entity, but all that came out was a cry of protest as I was hurdled against the black mass of a wall. I fell to the ground with a muted thud as the shadow crept along the floor.

At the moment, a black blob formed in the mist of all the darkness and shot out an arm, which, in return, wrapped itself around my ankles. It began to pull me into a dark abyss, leaving me with no way out. I somehow still heard Yami's screams - they echoed of the now painted raven walls. His Baby Dragon unleashed attack after attack, but it could not penetrate the shadows.

By then, I was totally submerged in pure darkness. Dark ribbons wrapped themselves around my wrists, pulling me into the carpeted floor. Dark swirled around me; a dark strip wrapped its way around my neck and cut off my breathing, cutting off all my cries for help. Yami's voice eventually even faded away with every thing else. Time seemed frozen, yet days or weeks or months may have gone by, passed without my notice. All seemed inadequate at the current moment and undeserving. All was void, a pit of silence. All my eyes saw was pure darkness.

_Mom; Dad, please do not let this happen to me. It cannot end like this! Atem, wherever you are, help me! _I cried out in my thoughts, so desperate for someone to help me.

At that moment, though, all of the sudden light flooded through the darkness. And I recognized my Soul of Purity and Light standing before me, rainbows reflecting off of her angelic wings. as my eyes continued to refocus, i caught a glimpse of a distant Yami staring at a figure in the doorway. His blonde hair almost seemed flourescent in the blackness - his duel disk was armed and ready. he held a smug grin on his face - one I recognized all too well.

Joey Wheeler had come to the rescue.

Then I caught another Soul of Purity and Light gazing back at me, that shy smile clearly making her belong to me.

"I think Copy Cat saved my butt a few good times in the past. It copies one card on the field. It is a good thing your Soul came and found me, Meta," Joey said with a wide grin and ambled into the room.

By then the shadows had almost completely vanished and I straightened myself up. "Thank you, Joey."

"Welcome," Joey said as his Soul retreated back to the Copy Cat card. "Meta, come on, let's get out of here -"

Suddenly, a black shadows emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room and lunged at Joey, immersing him in a coat of black. He was hurdled into teh wall as darkness covered him from head to toe.

"DAD!" Yami cried as his Baby Dragon went back into the card. "No! Do not quit on me now little dude!"

I pointed in the direction of Joey and Valkyria and Soul of Purity and Light nodded in sync. They hurried towards him and let out two attacks of light that headed into teh core of the darkness. Though, the darkness only seemed to absorb their light. All of the sudden, Yami summoned an all too familiar monster - the Magician of Faith.

"Where in the world did you get that card?" I called out as Yami shook his head.

"Terry gave it to me as a joke oncel no one knew I acutally kept it. And I have a good idea right about now. I sacrifice my Magician of Faith to gain one magic card. And I choose Swords of Revealing Light!"

I watched as a dozen or so swords pierced the heart of the shadows, ultimately destroying the evil. Joey collapsed to the ground with a loud thump. Yami rushed to his father's side as I gazed on in sorrow. We both knew that by Joey's unsteady rise and fall of his chest - his soul was gone.

The shadows had won.

* * *

We sat a top the school rooftop, well me at least. Yami paced the length of the room - growling and muttering incoherent words under his breath. My amethyst eyes followed his figure with pity and sorrow. A day had passed since yesterday. It was so hard to believe that the Shadows had gotten hold of Joey Wheeler - fun loving, teenager in an adult's body Wheeler. When Mai had returned home, she had been told the news. Next thing I know - she is armed with her old duel disk and deck and hightailing onto a motorcycle after calling a certain boy named Valon. Joey had spoken little of him - only that he had been with the Seal and befriend Mai. That is all. Yami had been on the edge ever since; I could relate. He just suddenly lost both of his parents.

"Yami, I am so sorry," I began before Yami spoke.

"It is not your fault - but those Shadows will pay. Those god damn freaks of nature," Yami cursed. "We need to find Atem, Meta. And soon, like now!"

"How?" I snapped at my friend. "He is in the Afterlife. What do you propose we do, Yam?"

"We need to talk to someone who knows about all of this, or has a general sense of what is going on," Yami suggested as he huffed rather loudly whiel sitting down next to me. "Some one who knows as much about the past - more than my dad."

"Who?" I questioned and anxiously urged Yami to continue on.

"Your father."

* * *

"My father?" I exclaimed for probably the one millionth and twenty second time that morning. "My father is on the run! How are we supposed to find him?"

"I told you once before - we need to get some more information first," Yami explained as he strode down the sidewalk in down town Domino City. "He knows about the past because it was the past! It was his past - so we need to talk to him."

"How will we find him?" I protested as my friend took a direct right around the corner. "Yugi is on the run.

"We have magic, Meta. We can go back in time and talk to him. We just need to know a bit more. From a different perspective, you know? We need to talk to Kaiba to get what happened," Yami answered as we finally came to a stop in front of the Kaiba Corporation building. "We need ot know what happened the day your fathe rlet you Slifer and withdrew the magic, Meta."

"What Why are we doing this? We can remember that point in time, so why are we coming to Kaiba Corporation?" I questioned in my high soprano voice - confusion seeping into it. "What good is there for us if we head over here?"

"Kaiba was in charge of Yugi's account, it was his office! So he must have cameras around there. If we can know what happened that night, we can-"

"Or we could do this my way," I announced and grasped Yami's wirst and let my violet eyes flicker to the star chip in my hand. "When I remembered the time with Duke Devlin, I wished to see my father is action, but I was thinking of what Joey told me, that point in time. SO now, let us go back to the time Yugi Moto was in Kaiba's office and withdrew the star chip to give to his beloved daughter."

"Beloved?" Yami snorted as we both faded back in time.


	12. Just A Bit of Info From Dad

**Authors Note: **

**Erin****: Dedicated to Dreamer of Legends - if you like this story, you will love hers. They keep you on the edge the whole entire time! Plus, she has been the biggest influence on my story, Eternity Sealed Away. With the solid tips she keeps giving me and I thank her endlessly for the criticism, it just gets me pissed when someone finds a mistake in my writing or has some suggestions for me in order to get better, thus it pushes me to do better. And what do you know, it works! "All this sword needs is time to forge!" Well, Dreamer, here you go. The tips have helped - this chapter is for you!**

**Elodie: How come you never dedicate a story to me?**

**Erin****: Because you all ready know what will happen! You helped write it!**

**Elodie: And your point would be?**

**Erin****: My point is that I control you and I say go away.**

**Elodie: You do not control me, I am just choosing to walk away.**

**Erin****: And, also, my friend found this picture and it is now posted on my profile. You should check it out if you want to know what Meta looks like.**

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"You really need to work on your landings," Yami hissed as he massaged his left shoulder to relieve some of the throbbing pain that was caused by me landing us on the hard and tiled floors of Kaiba's office. "Next time, aim for the comfy couch on the other side of the room."

"Sorry, Yami," I muttered under my breath in response. "But I cannot control anything that happens... Hate to disappoint you."

At that current moment, a muted thud echoed though the dark office. My amethyst eyes flickered to the glass wall where a dark figure was perched on one of its windows, gazing at Yami and I like a lion stalking its prey. The first thing I became aware of was that the stronger had a wiry build but graceful motions. The street lights reflected his metal chain which hung around his neck - and a small, golden, upside down triangle; it had the symbol of the Senna Eye in the middle. I watched intently as the dark stranger leaped towards the floor, landing directly in front of me. His wise but still young face was the only part visible, and he gave me a small smile.

"I was wondering whether or not I would find you here; I was actually going to stop by the Wheeler home to give you the star chip. I knew that you would eventually figure out that it was the magic, sooner or later. I also knew that I would possibly find you here - always ready and eager and on a quest for answers," Yugi announced as his violet eyes met my own. "How is the future, Meta?"

"I do not have much time," I answered - my gaze shifting to meet Yami's piercing, crystal eyes. "I know these black shadows survive in darkness; and you coming here at the dead of night is very dangerous."

"So you are aware of the situation," Yugi mumbled softly as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Not exactly," I answered, almost cutting my father off in the process. "I know of your past; black shadows are after you; and me, and this magic. And, Dad, Joey got his soul taken by the shadows!"

Yugi's face paled a bit, yet, he exhaled slowly in response. "Trying to protect you, I assume?"

"Yes," Yami interjected suddenly. "So, we need Atem. And we need your help to do so."

"Like I told, Meta. Or, will tell, Meta," Yugi continued as he turned to face me. "I do not know how to bring Atem back."

"Then tells us what you do know," Joey pressed on as he grasped my father's shoulders in aggravation. "Please, Mr. Moto. We need all the help we can get right now. I lost my dad's soul! My mom ran of with a creep named Valon. And every thing is messed up."

"Valon?" Yugi asked in complete and utter aw. "This is getting far bigger than I feared."

"Please, Dad," I chimed in sync with Yami. "We need to know."

"I know only a variety of what is occurring. These black shadows as you called them are bred and living in the Shadow Realm. Some, great evil out to control the earth once more released these ghouls, and they are required to retrieve my soul in order to resurrect some one. But, Meta, they also want your soul because you are my only living blood relative left. You are a part of me, thus you are a key element in this entire ordeal."

"Oh great," I grumbled to my self as an answer. "Soul stealing shadows want me; but I can never seem to get a boy."

"Maybe it is because you scare them," Yami commented as he gazed at his finger nails, acting innocent.

Yugi ambled to Kaiba's desk and pressed a switch to reveal the hidden compartment along the west wall, his secret account; he waltzed towards it while withdrawing Slifer the Sky Dragon from his pocket. "I promised your mother that I would protect you, Meta. I said I would make sure that you were safe. Though, honestly, the only one with whom I feel comfortable leaving you was Atem. But the only problem regarding my plan is that Atem was gone - and I needed him to save us any how."

"But how do you propose that I bring him back?" I questioned as I paced the length of the room. "I know I cannot just go back and grab Atem from the past, because it would destroy the future; we almost did so before, actually, Yami almost completely altered the present, hence we must never use Atem's name around his past self."

"Can you not just let that one go?" Yami demanded with an audible groan of irritation. "I did not mean to utter the name of the Great and Almighty Pharaoh! How was I exactly supposed to know his name was the key?"

"Oh... I do not know... How about a little thing called common sense?" I retorted with one of my signature eye rolls; my dad said that I got that from my mother. "Seriously, who could mess up something as simple as a name?"

"Someone who apparently has short term memory loss," Yami commented with a shake of his head and rather loud sigh. "But, who am I to know if that is true? After all, I guess I forgot for a moment there!"

"But, Dad, do you have any ideas?" I stated as I turned my attention back to Yugi. "I know we have to get Atem back, but time is running out as speak - just... any ideas or theories?"

Yugi slowly circled to face me and placed his hands over the golden triangle that hung from a chain. "Meta, I promised your mother that also the darkness would never know of you - and I know I failed in doing so. But you need to bring Atem back in order to save everyone we all care about. This charm is something I have held dear to me over the past twenty years. It is my only connection to Atem so to speak. I have hidden it from your mother for certain reasons, but now, I think you may need this. Meta, this is the missing, center piece of the Millennium Puzzle. I do not know if you will exactly need it, but if my plan test out correctly, you might as well take it.

"My plan is simple. Atem was sealed away with the Millennium Items. And, I think that if it is somehow worked out, he may be released with the Millennium Items as well."

As the cold metal was placed into my open palm, I shook my head in protest. "Dad, I cannot do this without you. Please, just let me know where you are heading so I can meet you in the future."

"Meta, you must promise me that you will never seek me in the future," Yugi warned. "It is mighty dangerous! I barely escaped from the shadows last time around, and I am not to risk your life any more than I already am. Besides, it is your turn to do this. Not mine."

"What exactly happened last time, Mr. Moto?" Yami inquired as Yugi leaned against one of the blue walls.

"It all happened so fast," Yugi admitted as he let his gaze flicker to the night sky. "We were in the Game Shop; Meta, you were supposed to come home in about half an hour, no doubt chattering about the Duel Monsters tournament at school. Tea and I were talking about the evil. Since that morning, I had begun to sense a grave danger; that was all too familiar to me because of the fact that Atem always felt it frequently. This man came in and demanded my soul. Tea and I rushed to the back of the house as I tried to reach for my duel disk. It was then that I felt something graze my leg, hooking around my ankle. I just felt... cold, like all dead and silent. I was frozen in time... almost unable to move. I heard Tea screaming incoherent phrases, but, as I looked back, a black shadow was looming over my figure. But soon it vanished, and darkness completely covered me like a blanket. Thick and fast, a blindfold almost. And then I was just caught in a black world, no light what so ever.

"Something was suffocating me; I could actually tell my soul was leaving my body.

"Something happened though, at that moment; it felt as if I was suddenly infused with a power of another. Somehow, I think Atem managed to reach me."

"Epic," I breathed out in awe.

"When I came too, I saw you, Meta. You were battling with the same shadow ghoul that almost took my own soul. You caught on to using a duel disk, good work on your part I might add. Summoning Valkyria was a strategic move, a light monster with the dark. But after you left, I stayed hidden because I was hoping that you would be able to escape without the shadows following you; I hoped the darkness would sense me and become accustomed with my scent for it was stronger. But then Tea came looking for me and found me in our bedroom. And the black shadows came back - these stronger and more dangerous than the one you had previously encountered, Meta. It took your mother's soul without as much as a second glance. When it did direct its attention to me - it said that you were next," Yugi continued as his eyes met the floor; his black boots suddenly became quite interesting. "So I fled, leaving your mother with a very trustworthy Duke Devlin. I stayed there for a bit, but I warned him that I had to leave. So I left here just tonight."

"Wait, Duke?" I interrupted. "Duke Devlin of the Dungeon Dice Disaster? Isn't he also the father of Noelle Devlin?"

"Yes," Yugi answered quietly. "Noelle is Duke's only daughter."

"Random question," Yami mumbled randomly. "Wasn't Duke's wife Rebecca Hawkins?"

Yugi cracked a bit of a smile at the mention of his old friend. "Rebecca and Duke married and Rebecca sadly passed away when Noelle was two months old after drowning during one of her expeditions."

"Wasn't she also only four years younger than him? Joey was convinced there was a twelve year difference..." I pried.

Yugi let out a light hearted chuckle. "Two years actually."

"Wow," I stated as I leaned against Yami's shoulder. "The things I am suddenly learning."

"Yes," Yugi sighed again. "I know no one exactly talks about him any more. He is a friend, not close per say but a friend none the less. I hope you both realize that friends matter so much, especially now of all times."

"Of course," Yami whispered in return, his crystal eyes glistening. "That was the one lesson my parents also taught me."

"Didn't Joey tell you to keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" I asked.

"No, that was Tristan to Terry," Yami snorted.

Suddenly, a clang reverberated through the room as Yugi slammed the hidden compartment shut. "I must go now, you two. You both head back to your time, right now. Remember, you need the missing piece of the Millennium Puzzle. That is my only theory on how to bring Atem back. Meta, I need you to take this - no doubt you will need this as well."

Yugi placed the card in my hand and embraced me swiftly. The Millennium Puzzle Piece now hung from my neck as he placed the chain around me. And with a wink in Yami's direction, my father headed for the glass wall, disappearing into the shadows. And I glanced down and gasped at the card in my hand: Obelisk the Tormentor.

* * *

"He gave you another God card?" Yami asked as I showed him the card my father had given me right before we traveled back to the future. "You now have two of the God cards?"

"I guess so," I whispered back in reply. "Now all I need is the Winged Dragon of Ra."

"But wouldn't Yugi have tried to give you the other card all ready? Because he is not planning to see you in the present anytime soon," Yami explained as I shrugged; his words that my father had left me struck a heart's chord. "Meta, what is wrong? You know what you have to do, so why do you seem so sad?"

"Because the Items are stored away, remember? The chamber collapsed, sealing the Millennium Items forever," I answered as I placed Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor, and the piece of the Puzzle next to the star chip on the top of my clothes whilst I zipped up my duffel bag. "Anyways, are you packed? We need to get going before the shadows can catch our scent."

"I am packed up... I still do not see why we have to leave. Why can't we just go over to Terry place like he invited us too?" Yami questioned.

"The shadows have our scent, Yam. And they can track us. Besides, we are just traveling through time all of the while and will never be there. This is for there own safety," I returned as I emerged from the bathroom dressed in blue jeans, long sleeved navy shit, and a gray vest.

"No offense, Meta. But you take 'Daddy's Little Girl' to a whole new height," Yami muttered under his breath. "Remember that your dad had a piece of the Puzzle, so he must have found a way to get to it. We need to find out how."

"But how can we manage that?" I inquired as I appeared defeated. "We do not have the money to get to Egypt."

"Who says we need money to get to Egypt, Meta?" Yami exclaimed. "We have something even better. Just think about it."

"Just tell me!" I commanded.

"We got magic. Time travel magic," Yami concluded as he grabbed my hand, reached into my duffel bag, and grasped the glistening, golden star chip and piece of the Puzzle. "We can go back in time to the Ceremonial Duel and see what just happened at that Battle. And then we can travel to when your father managed to get to the Piece of the Puzzle."

I narrowed my violet eyes in my friend's direction and gave in. "All right, let's go."

"Can I go back this time?" Yami pleaded and snatched the star chip from my hand before I could utter a protest of any sot; I let out an anime sweat drop. "I wish we could see Atem before he left at the Ceremonial Duel."

"Wait, Yami! You need to be direct and exact or we might not go to where we want to go," I snapped as we faded away.

* * *

Yami landed onto the ground with a muted thud and rolled over onto his back – his chest rose at a rapid pace as he gasped for breath after falling from who knows how high. While trying to regulate his breathing patterns, Yami ran a pale hand through his golden hair and narrowed his ocean eyes in an effort to refocus his sight in order to see the darkroom he had entered. Sadly, things did not go as planned. All he saw was darkness. And with that thought, Yami began shaking as the nerves triggered in his mind: darkness brother shadows. And shadows brought on soul stealing demons.

"Meta?" Yami questioned softly, his deep voice breaking the eerie silence. "Meta, please tell me you are here…"

"Check beneath you, nitwit," I groaned from under Yami's body weight. "You need to lose a few pounds, my friend."

"Meta, where are we? This does not look like the Egyptian ruins," Yami's voice trailed off as he began to speak.

"You messed up big time," I growled through my gritted teeth and gazed around me. "We are on a boat. No doubt the one heading to the ruins."

"How do you know we are on a boat?" Yami inquired as he followed my stare. "Oh, the port hole."

"Who are you two?" an unknown alto voice asked quietly, as if it was a petty whisper caught in the howling wind of the raging storm. "And how did you get here without opening the door?"

My amethyst eyes widened at the sight of a teenage version of Yugi lying on a bed, totally unconscious for he was asleep. The slow and deep breathes were evidence to back up my assumption. But, my eyes caught another being in my line of vision – a transparent figure was hunched over Yugi in a protective manner, shielding him from any possible harm and the threats just happening to be me and Yami at the current moment. It must have been Atem.

"Atem," I breathed out, and Yami, having realized by now that I could see the Pharaoh, gasped at the sound of the name.

"Meta, you said his name – you will ruin the future!" Yami cried out in a hushed voice.

"Future?" Atem responded. "Who are you two? And how do you know of my true name?"

"We came from the future, but Yami teleported us to the wrong time… My name is Meta," I said hesitantly.

"Hi, wherever you are, Atem. My name is Yami; I know you used to go by that name for a while, but I also go by it too…" Yami stated in addition. "I feel weird talking in the direction of your sleeping father, Meta."

"Yami, you just told him who we are!' I hissed in Yami's direction.

"Technically, I told him who you are," Yami teased back.

"So you are Yugi's daughter from the future? And, Yami, you must be Joey's son…" Atem questioned as he stepped in front of us.

"Yes," I answered softly. "But how did you know about Yami?"

"Lucky guess. He reminds me of Joey," Atem wandered aloud. "Meta, you look so much like him."

"Hair dye for the blonde and red," I commented with a wry smile; my eyes turned wary. "I have pure, black hair."

"Well, trying to pass as your father, are you?" Atem said as he cracked a small smile.

"Something like that," I snorted in response.

"Your strength is very great," Atem breathed out in awe. "You are his daughter, Meta. But how did you two get back here? And how can you see me? How can you hear me?"

"Blood relation, I guess," I answered honestly and turned a gaze to Yami. "And magic on how we got back here. We just have to be careful what we do in the past – and what we say in order to go back in time."

Yami placed his arm around my shoulders and smirked as he held out the star chip in his hand. "Like this? Anyway, we have to undue the damage of you seeing us, Atem. Do not worry, it will not hurt. Anyway, I will be sure to zap us outside the door. All right, Meta, let's go. I wish that we would appear outside the door of Yugi's room on the way to the Ceremonial Duel."

And we zoomed through time.

Next time, Yami was never to use the magical star chip ever again.


	13. It Is All Your Fault!

**Authors Note: So, Chapter 13 is coming on now! Ha ha... My brother gave me the idea for this chapter. Who knew a twelve year old was useful? XD**

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If I knew at least one thing after our adventures together to the past - it would be to never trust Yami with the power that my father had bestowed upon me. After numerous occurrences, heaven only knew when Yami would mess up one again and possible ruin or alter the future that was ours. But in no way, shape, or form did I expect to be where I was now - clinging to a piece of rock that was literally, my life line right now. And all I could think about were the two conclusions I had finally found the strength to draw up: one, I was going to die, and two, it was all Yami's fault.

And to think, it began after Yami's first try to time travel.

* * *

"Oh great," I muttered under my breath as Yami landed in sync with me on the bed with a rather loud thump. "You really messed up that time, my friend."

"At least I fixed it," Yami argued back and handed the star chip to me. "Here, maybe you better direct this from now on."

"You think?" I quipped in Yami's direction. "Listen, at least nothing went wrong... much that time."

"Yes," Yami grumbled to himself in a mutual agreement. "Anyways, let's just go back to the Ceremonial Duel. Then, we can save the world and go back to our extremely normal lives."

"Yami, we have never been normal nor will ever be," I answered as I held the star chip in front of me while Yami grasped my hand in his. "We wish to go back to the time when Atem fought in the Ceremonial Duel."

The next thing I knew, every thing flashed by so quickly, that, if you blinked, you would miss it all. It started with a shadowy figure jumping out towards us as ourselves became transparent; the echoing laughter reverberated off of the walls in the Wheeler residence. It lunged at us suddenly, crackling like a hyena as Yami and I traveled through time. And we faded away, but, instead of our instantaneous falling into the past, I felt a sharp jolt hit me, as if I had been hit by something. The next thing I knew - Yami and I were lying face down in the sand of Egypt. Wait - sand?

"Something tells me we are not in the right time," I grumbled mostly to myself.

"What the heck did you do, Meta?" Yami questioned as he glared at me, his crystal blue eyes flashing with a tint of anger – only a short time till his temper began to flare.

"Uh… in my defense, I did every thing I supposed too… Unlike someone we both know."

It took all of Yami's self-control not to tackle me into the sand at that moment. "Well, how do we suggest we solve this tiny weenie problem?"

"Just let me grab my star chip and we can – oh crap!" I squeaked out as I realized that the star chip was missing. "Yami, it is gone! I cannot find it at all!"

"What?" Yami bellowed out as he began to dig through the sand, flinging it in all directions. "No, we are not stuck in the past! Meta, what did you do?"

"Nothing, I did every thing right! Maybe it has to do with where we were going? I mean, it took our parents forever to even come to that point in their lives – so maybe we cannot just enter the chamber with a time traveling star chip?" I suggested as my violet eyes glanced around, all I saw was sand, sand, and more sand.

"All right, so that explains while we are out in the middle of no where! Meta, what did you do with the dang star chip?" Yami asked rather loudly. "How can we possibly do anything without that star chip? We cannot be seen, or heard, or even speak to any one with the chance of altering the future!"

"Well, it must have fallen out of my hand when we were rejected from our landing space!" I exclaimed. "Give me a break please, this is not my fault!"

"Well you had better solve this problem because I sure as heck do not want to repeat the last twenty years of my life!" Yami said while throwing his arms in the air.

"Yami, you are only fifteen," I protested.

"My point proven!" Yami pleaded. "Now, let's fix this… What in the world are you wearing, Meta?"

I let my amethyst eyes flicker to my outfit and gasped. My dark, blue jeans had vanished, leaving me in a long and tan skirt. My gray vest and black shirt had become a darker shadow of brown than the shirt I now had on. Plus, my black boots had suddenly turned into flat shoes, and my raven locks were flowing to my waist, curling slightly. My eyes soon swept over to Yami and stifled a laugh as I analyzed my friend's appearance. His shirt had disappeared to show off his flawless torso… were those abs? I felt a faint blush creep into my cheeks, so I quickly moved on. He wore a piece of fabric that was secured around his waist and stretched to his knees. Yami wore a tan robe on his shoulders with sleeves going to his wrists – the robe flowed down to his waist whilst his ocean eyes were flashing in panic, and his blond hair ruffled up a bit.

"This is bad," I breathed out in awe, tearing my stare away from checking out Yami. "We look Egyptian… We are in Egypt."

"Meta, what were your exact words when you sent us back in time?" Yami inquired.

"I wished to see Atem in the Ceremonial Duel," I stuttered. "But, I saw the shadow person appear before we left our time. Do you think they have to do with this predicament we managed to land in? I mean, I felt pretty weird going through time…"

"Maybe, or perhaps this is your entire fault!" Yami bellowed; his voice echoed off of the desert sands. "Just what time did you send us too?"

"Me? I sent us to the right time! There was only one Atem; one Ceremonial Duel; and only one time we could have traveled too," I answered in ager that filled my tone. "Besides, at least, I am not panicking like some one I know!"

"All right – so let me figure this one out: we are somewhere in the past, somewhere in ancient Egypt!" Yami concluded as he sat in the sand. "Any ideas how to get to civilization?"

"I have some ideas..." I murmured under my breath and ushered towards the two horses that were standing in front of us.

"When the heck did they get here?" Yami whispered to me. "What is it with us and out unawareness of this present situation?"

"But look who is riding them," I announced as my gaze met the brown eyes of two men perched up the chestnut horses.

"The Pharaoh's royal guards…" Yami's voice trailed off as one of the men pointed to me. "Oh great, Meta."

"Take her – she looks like the description of the Pharaoh's attacker!" a guard called out as he ushered to me. "Take her companion also. They both may be involved."

"But was the Pharaoh's attacker night colored with violet orbs? I recall her being pure Egyptian... The color of the desert sand," the other responded. "And the other had done no wrong."

"Take them both in for questioning and suspicious activity," the other guard snapped in return. "Grab them and let us move. Mahad ordered no one to leave the Egyptian walls."

"Yami!" I shrieked as a guard gripped my shoulder. "Help me!"

"Sorry, I wish I could! But I am currently to busy trying to save my own life!" Yami yelled back as the two guards tied out hands behind our backs. "Meta, find the dang star chip of yours and get us out of here!"

"Come on," I gasped out and dug my heels into the soil of the ground – no friction could be found. "Ugh, the dang star chip is no where to found and I cannot get away from our kidnappers!"

"Gah!" Yami replied as the guards strapped him to the horse and climbed up in front of us. "This. Is. All. Your. Fault!"

* * *

"Pharaoh, " Mahad announced as he met the violet eyes of the ruler of Egypt which were filled with curiosity and some what of a flood of panic to due to the fact that someone just tried to kill him hours before. "We believe that your attacker has been found. Shall we bring them in for questioning?"

"Yes, thank you, my friend," the Pharaoh called back when suddenly two unknown voices filled the palace. "Wait, did you say them? As in two? I was aware of only one criminal?"

"We believe the other aided the girl," Mahad confessed as Yami and I were led into the throne room, still struggling wildly I might add. "Perhaps we should gather the other to begin the Millennium Trial as of this moment?"

"Perhaps we shall…" the Pharaoh responded as he cast a wary gaze in the direction of us approaching. "Retrieve the others please."

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Mahad answered as he fled the Pharaoh's sight in search of the missing of the seven.

"Meta, I am going to hurt you if we ever get out of this mess!" Yami cried out. "I swear I am never going to forgive you for this!"

"At least I am not altering the past! This is not my fault – it is those dang shadows, all right? They must have slipped into the past; taken the star chip from us in the process; and then they worked some hocus pocus magic on us!" I yelled back at my friend; my voice echoed off of the golden walls of the Pharaoh's home. "So let me tell you this one last time: this is not my fault!"

"You two are very loud," the Pharaoh commented as he stepped down from the throne and ambled cautiously towards us. "I find it hard to believe you two could plot a murder against me. But my observations have been quite dull these past few times."

"Holy Kuriboh," I breathed out in awe. "You are Atem!"

Atem's eyes widened a bit at my call. "How do you know of my true name?"

"Long story short," Yami interjected. "We came from the future or at least we think and somehow ended up here and being framed as your murderers! Holy Kuriboh, you are Atem!"

"Yam, I just said that," I protested and shook my head.

At that moment, Mahad returned with many at his heels only to be stopped by Atem. "These are not my attackers – please see to it that I speak to Shamone at once! It is of the urgency for this current matter. And please, guards, untie these prisoners."

"Yes, my Pharaoh," the guard who kidnapped us answered and turned to unbind us; the ropes finally fell from my hands.

Yami sighed and turned towards Atem. "Do you happen to have the year?"

Atem merely nodded in return. "It is the year 2998."

"Oh great," Yami muttered while I mentally slapped myself.

"This is horrible," I groaned aloud as the people turned to face me this time. "How are we going to be able to undue the damage?"

"You got me," Yami mumbled as a response. "But I am so happy because this time I can actually see Atem! And he looks exactly like your dad, Meta, when he was younger!"

"Yami! We are still in the past you moron!" I exclaimed in outrage. "Do not mess it up more than it already is!"

"And whose fault is that?" Yami retorted.

"The shadows," I countered.

"Yes, just keep lying to yourself, Meta."  


* * *

"So you two are from the future - five thousand years ahead of this time?" Atem questioned for the seemingly two millionth time since we had arrived. "How do you expect me to believe this?"

"We do not," I argued back in exhaustion. "Just direct us to the nearest time traveling magic star chip. We need to go back to the moment that we came here and then head back to our own time."

"It is not that simple, young one," Shamone responded as he paced the length of the throne room; Yami, Atem, and I stood in the middle of the large space as out wary eyes watched him move. "Time travel magic is very difficult to accomplish. I have no thought as of how your father as you told us managed to achieve this possibility. Mahad is able to deliver himself through time over the course of a few years. Five millenniums is a completely different aspect of the story!"

"There is the Millennium Cave," Atem murmured suddenly as his amethyst eyes stared as Shamone's. "It has the power to transport one back to the time of their destination."

"All right!" Yami commented. "Just tell us where the nearest horse is because we have a job to do. Let's go, Meta!"

"Actually, Yami," Atem continued in a deep voice with an expression of sorrow and pity. "No one ever knew of the location of the Millennium Cave - my father was the only one, sadly. He passed on before he could tell me where it was."

"This sucks on rocks," I hissed to myself.

"Excuse me?" Atem inquired with a confusion.

"Future phrase... Oh you will learn all about it someday," I answered with a loud groan. "Is there any other way to get there?"

"Do not merchants have maps?" Atem questioned off handedly. "I know a few have the maps to the Millennium Stone; perhaps, the map to the Millennium Cave is strayed amongst them somewhere."

"That is a distinct possibility, my Pharaoh," Shamone observed softly. "But how do you purpose that we retrieve such a map?"

"Easy. Meta and I can go to town and find it," Yami answered rather quickly.

_Oh great,_ I thought to myself. _Yet another adventure._


	14. Just A Map

Atem sent us on our way with his wishes of success, blessing of victory, and enough gold coins to ensure we could beat even the highest price a merchant might throw at us. He had Shamone tell us how to detect a true map to the Millennium Cave: the Senna Eyes would be marked on the real map with the name of the last Pharaoh - Atem's father. All packed and ready, Yami and I headed out on yet another journey; a part of us wondered why fate was testing us, pushing us in this situation - fate was making it as difficult for me and Yami to achieve out goal just the same as Yugi, Tea, Tristan, and Joey had it. Soon though, we reached the Egyptian market.

"Meta, where in the world do you plan to find a map in this chaos?" Yami noted as he observed the mass crowds that were cluttering around us. "We are going to be stuck in the past forever - aren't we?"

"Do not be so pessimistic," I grumbled to my friend and let my violet eyes shift around. "Let's just browse for a bit, all right?"

So the two of us set out, desperate to find a merchant that could be selling maps. We ran into some out right creepy figures; a humorous court jester showing off for money from onlookers; an angry merchant harassing us as "insolent youngsters who crowd around one's shop as an ingenious plan to scare away customers with our Satan faces and glaring eyes… All right, so maybe Yami revised the merchant's phrase of, "get away from my shop, you kids," but his statement fit perfectly fine in my book. But then we passed a certain shop and the time caught up with us.

"Meta, get a look at the golden scepter!" Yami exclaimed as he pulled me in the direction of a glistening staff. "Oh my baby, take a peek at the height and hand position of my soon to be treasure."

"Yami, come on, we have to leave right now – we are already altering the future enough as it is," I commented and nodded to the north where a man stood, dressed in white garbs and beckoning us to come closer to him. "Yami, look! Follow me!"

I took off in a flat out sprint towards the stranger; my raven locks followed behind me as I ran. My violet orbs danced as I myself danced through the throngs of Egyptian people. The stranger's eyes narrowed a bit as I approached.

"You have finally reached your destination," the man stated as he ushered me to the stand on my direct left. "Here is where the map of the Millennium Cave lies. Here is where you will find your way back to your time. But tread cautiously, dear Meta. You must first cross the End of the Beginning, the same waters your father, Yugi, once crossed two decades before you."

"End of the beginning? You know of my father? Who exactly are you?" I demanded to know. "How do you know of my problem? Of where I come from? Of who I am?"

"I am but a ghost of the past – I guided your father and his dear friends on the Pharaoh's journey. As for my name, you may call me Shadi."

"Shadi?" I breathed in awe. "The mysterious soul in the bathrobe Joey told me and Yami about…"

"It is a sacred garb thank you very much," Shadi snapped suddenly, startling me out of my carefree reverie. "But rest assured, young Meta. You will return home and bring back the Nameless Pharaoh."

"You mean Atem?" I questioned in confusion.

"Yes, the Nameless Pharaoh shall rise once more. He is destined too. So let it be written – so let it be done."

"You mean Atem?"

"Yes."

"Then why not use his true name?"

"You are ruining a dramatic moment here!" Shadi yelled at me. "Just let me have my fun! After thousands of years alone, I am entitled to my own personal entertainment!"

"Holy Kuriboh, all right all ready!" I gasped out. "I understand. Now-"

"Hey, Meta, did you find anything yet? What did I miss?" Yami inquired as he joined my side. 'Why are you yelling at this merchant?"

"No, but Yami – this is Shadi! Remember who Joey told us about? The millennia old spirit who aided our parents? He knows about our problem. He told me that Atem is going to come back. Do you know what this means? We are going to succeed! We are going to save everyone!"

"You have not been drinking any of the Egyptian alcohol – have you, Meta?" Yami commented as he checked to see if my pupils dilated.

"Hello, my friends," a merchant announced as he caught sight of our watching eyes that gazed on over the many visible maps. "May I interest you in any of my maps today? I have maps of homes, the Pharaoh's palace, and th rumored Millennium Stone Tablet!"

"Millennium Cave," I requested in a hustled tone. "Do you have any maps that may lead us to the Millennium Cave?"

"Aw… It is the cave of the Pharaohs past that you seek? The scared Cave of the Hidden Pharaohs? Yes, I have one map right here," the merchant answered and withdrew a scroll from a rather tall pile; immediately, I caught sight of a glowing Senna eye on the scale with a phrase written beneath in the same pattern of hieroglyphics that Shamone said represented the name of Atem's father who perished a while ago. "It is twenty five gold coins."

"Yami," I said. "Hand over the money."

"You mean the money I used to buy this golden scepter?" Yami responded as he smirked in return. "This baby cast me all the money I had!"

"You spent all our money we had?" I seethed in anger. "You moron! How are we supposed to get home now? Because of your ingenious plan, we cannot purchase the map to the Millennium Cave!"

"Do not insult me! Anyways, do not worry, Meta. I have got this little issue covered!" Yami answered and turned towards the merchant. "Either give us the map or face the wrath of the Yami!"

"No money; no maps; no cave," the merchant retorted.

"All right, I warned you," Yami called out as he began to twirl the scepter like a baton. "Ra; ra; ra; ra; ra; ra; GO!"

All of the sudden, the merchant's stand exploded in a beautiful display of fireworks. The maps fluttered helplessly to the ground as Yami put the golden scepter back in its halter which was conviently placed on his hip. I stood, stunned at the sight in front of me. And slightly amused at the fact Yami must have read the instructional manual for his weapon. A first. The merchant then brought his knees to his chest as he huddled next to the remains that once could have been called his shop. His trembling hand held the true map of the Millennium Cave out towards us.

"Here, take it! No more! No more!"

I gently took the map and turned to Yami with a glare. "Hey, it worked!"

"It did not have to go that way, Yam! You could have seriously hurt someone!"

"I just wanted the cool scepter, so do not insult me, Meta. On the bright side, we can get home now!"

* * *

My chestnut mare, Amulet, charged across the desert at the speed of a heavy gallop. My raven hair flowed far behind me; a cloth covered my face to protect from the desert sand and blowing winds. Aboard a stubborn, midnight black stallion that went by the name of Crusade, Yami rode beside me, gripping the flying mane for dear life. The map of the Millennium Cave was tucked away in my robes whilst Yami's golden scpter glistned brightly under the heated sun. I let out a soft chuckle to myself as Amulet race forwards, determined to beat Crusade and Yami on our journey.

"Come on!" I cried above the roaring wind. "Yami! Try to keep up!"

I am trying to keep on!" Yami retorted and yelped in fright as Crusade launched himself over the sand dune. "How much longer do we have to ride?"

"Until we come to the Land of the Pharaohs!!" I called back in laughter.

**Really really short, I know. But people were bugging me to get posting. I promise to update more soon and it will be longer!**


	15. End of the Beginning

**Chapter Fourteen: The End of the Beginning**

The Millennium Cave was just simply put a hole in the ground.

I reigned Amulet to the side of the for by four sized opening and jumped off of the chestnut mare's back, landing on two feet. Crusade and Yami followed close behind us as Yami jumped, or rather was bucked off of the midnight black stallion's back. Withdrawing the Map, I let my amethyst eyes scan over the parchment whilst Yami's crystal blue eyes peered over my shoulder. Both our assumptions were confirmed by what the map told us – this was indeed the long lost Millennium Cave.

"It is a hole," Yami stated after a short pause; the wind blew harder after the words were uttered

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," I grumbled in my trilling, high soprano voce, using my hands to block both the sun and the sun. "Welcome to the Millennium Cave. Yam, we sure as hell aren't in Domino anymore."

"No way has that thing had the power to take us into the future, thousands of years into the future at that matter," Yami remarked in a dull voice. "What do we do? Run and dance like crazy people around the hole in the ground to make it work?"

"Nice try, but I think it is what is inside the hole in the ground," I responded to my friend's theory. "I guess we just jump down there and see what we find. It doesn't look that deep really… Maybe about a hundred feet or so. Not too bad."

"Way to make a guy feel better," Yami retorted as he gazed into the shadows of the hole. "Ladies first?"

"Sure, and who will catch you when you jump down? Please, do you really think I will be able to catch you with my limp, noodle arms as you always called them? Yami – we need… Holy Kurbiboh!"

"This is your new catch phrase, isn't it?" Yami asked as he narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Meta, seriously, get a new one!"

"NO, Yam! I really mean it! Kuriboh! Look, Yami!"

Sure enough, a life sized Duel Monster called Kuriboh was dancing around the Millennium Cave, just beckoning us to jump into the hole. Gingerly, I hesitantly reached out to touch Kuriboh's plush, chocolate brown fut. He cooed in response and tugged me forward.

"Holy Kuriboh," Yami said in a soft voice, a petty whisper caught in the howling winds of a raging storm; Kuriboh merely floated over our heads to the hole, blocking out the glowing, golden orb of the desert sky.

I took a step towards the Duel Monster, my feet meeting the edge of the Millennium Cave – my balance swayed every so slightly. "Kuriboh, do you want us to go down there?"

"Kuri."

"Listen, you little fur ball, unless you want us to fall down there and die, just think again," Yami warned the Duel Monster – unshed tears pricked in his ocean blue eyes; I think he was too caught up in finding his back home and reuniting his parents as well as keeping up with the journey of regaining his father's soul. "But please…. Help us, if you can. Please. Just help us!"

And with the utmost energy and the claimed "little fur ball" sent Yami and I tumbling into the dark abyss of the Millennium Cave. I swear I can still hear that fur ball laughing at our distress as we fell to our deaths, literally.

I awoke to the sound of Darth Vader breathing; no, literally, I heard the heavy gasps of air that belonged o a demon whilst my amethyst eyes desperately tried to adjust to the ever forming darkness. "Yami? Are you here?"

The darkness lunged at me as Yami was soon visible. He held up his golden scepter, and with a hiss, it burst into flame at the top. The gold color glistening in the night time vision. The light was all needed as Yami stared into my dirt stained face.

"Meta, are you all right?" Yami questioned in his baritone voice; he wiped a streak of mud from my face as he breathed out a sigh of quiet relief. "It is just me, Yami. Is anything broken? You bruised?"

"Thanks for caring," I answered ever so suddenly and quite loudly I might add; standing up to experience a head rush, I steadied myself and regained my balance. "I feel fine… Bruised. And my pride lost some of its weight. Anyways, what the hell happened? How did we get stranded in the dark? Where are we?"

Ushering me to follow with consecutive flips of his wrists, Yami pointed the flaming scepter in the direction of a seemingly never ending shadow path. Averting my violet orbs to gaze straight ahead and narrowed them in concentration, we both threaded through the dark strings of the Millennium Cave. As we continued to amble on, Yami halted us, making me question his antics. We were in the middle of a dark abyss, why the hell were we stopping in this specific place? Silently, with no actions nor words used for communication, he pointed at a wall with a tablet on it. Covered in ancient hieroglyphics, untranslatable to modern day teenagers like myself and Yami, it had a carving of an all too familiar creature on it – insanity, meet Exodia.

"What in the world?" I breathed aloud in complete shock and utter disbelief; Yami cautiously approached the tablet and knocked on it – light erupted from the lines that carved the monster. "Yami, what did you just do?"

"I summoned Exodia." The words seemed and appeared inadequate by the way Yami spoke them with the utmost bluntness. "He is the true power hidden away in the Millennium Cave. Shimone's the true controller of the ancient monster. Exodia has power – ancient magic that can even send us thousands of years into the future. It all depends on what the Guardian of the Millennia decides."

Crossing my arms, I glared at Yami whilst the freakish light show continued on, much to my confusion – how long did it take to summon a Duel Monster in this time? But then I realized that in this time, they were not holograms – these were real monsters, Shadow Monsters. "Why do I feel that you know more about this concept that you are letting me in on, Yami?"

"Because you are right; I do more than you think. Meta, there is always going to be a first time for everything," Yami contoured with a wry smile in my direction; his flaming scepter traced the words along the wall. "Whilst you were conversing with the Pharaoh, I listened to a ten minute lecture about what was known about the Millennium Cave by the words of Shimone himself. He told me a lot – but there is a lot still unknown to the Egyptians."

"Wow, I am thoroughly impressed, Yam," I complimented my friend; a wind bled my golden locks into my eyes. "But you could have filled me in on everything on the way here."

"I only knew one important thing," Yami announced as an arm stretched out of the tablet: Exodia was coming. "You are going to have to summon a Shadow Creature and defeat Exodia in order to activate the powers of the Millennium Cave. And I hate to tell you this, but Magician's Valkyria is not going to protect you this time."

"And you decide now to tell me this?" I shrieked in fear as the other arm joined Exodia in the present. "We could die! I don't have a duel disk or one of those things everyone back at the palace have! Those golden chicken wings that go on your wrist! And I don't have a Shadow creature to summon! And remember, I can't wish for anything in this place because, unlike my parents did when they went back to the past –that was a game. This is reality, Yami!"

"Remember – heart of the cards," Yami whispered as Exodia emerged fully and glared down above us. "And realize hat you can have almost any monster you want in this time! It comes from your heart and mind and soul! Use your strength, Meta!"

Breathing deeply and evenly, I remembered my past – my parents past. And I was ready. This was the true test. Shadi's words of wisdom came to me merely now in this time of battle. "Here is where the map of the Millennium Cave lies. Here is where you will find your way back to your time. But tread cautiously, dear Meta. You must first cross the End of the Beginning, the same waters your father, Yugi, once crossed two decades before you."

The End of the Beginning for my parents, their waters – more specifically, the waters my father crossed – was overcoming the fear of being alone. Facing the biggest challenge for him was dueling his equal in so many ways. It was the end of the beginning of his life. I understood it now. And now I must follow in his footsteps.

"Marie the Fallen One!" I called out in my trilling, high soprano voice; it echoed off of the cave's walls. "I summon you! Come out and help me!"

A ball of pure light emerged from my chest as it floated a few feet off of the ground. And with a burst of rays of warm glow. Wings covered a dark creature – her short, blonde bob cut fell into her piercing, ruby orbs. Her clawed hands and feet were in a skin tone of a dark blue and a white and pink dress covered her whole. The fiend angel smiling darkly upon Exodia.

"Hello, my old friend," I announced. "This card is in memory of my father's friend – Rebecca Hawkins. Now, Marie, I invoke your powers now to defeat Exodia. Weaken his attack force you're your Wings of Fate!"

The fallen angel shrieked and flew into the air as she summoned the burst of wind to blow around Exodia. The Duel Monster was not even fazed for he obliterated my Marie the Fallen One with one breath. I fell against the wall, heavily as my monster disappeared with balls of light.

"Thank your for your effort, Marie," I whispered under my breath; Exodia snarled at me as I glanced quickly at Yami. "Why can't you help oh most holy one?"

"Hello!" he yelled back. "Holding a priceless artifact."

"Yami!" I cried out in defiance. "I can't do this alone! I am not going to last that much longer!"

"You are not alone! Remember your friends! We are always with you!"

And in that second I knew what I had to do. Within each person of Atem's life, they held a special card close to their hearts. And that was the key to defeating Exodia. It would take a lot of strength – but I was ready. I owed it to Atem. I had to save my Father and Joey and Tea and everyone else who had been coveted by the Dark Shadows. So, withdrawing my soul, I prepared to call out over twenty or so monsters. Exodia could not be alive after I did so.

"I invoke the powers of Mystical Elf to bring back a healed, Marie the Fallen One in honor of Rebecca. I call upon Magician of Faith for Tea, my mom; Cyber Commander for Uncle Tristan; Red Eyes Black Dragon in memory of Joey, and its counterpart – Seto Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon. I call to the field Dark Magician, my father's favorite monster. And that's all for the first generation. I call Duke Devilin's Strike Ninja here. And let's not forget my great-grandfather's Summon Skull."

Balls of light erupted through the cave. Exodia raised his hand in preparation to attack. I could feel my strength draining, quickly. Yami put his scepter into his belt loop and shot to my side. He called to join my monsters his Solar Flare Dragon – on the bright side, it was not so dark in here any more.

"I call Hope's Wingweaver here. And Terry's F.D.G. dragon to follow. My Magician's Valkyria and Noelle's Dreamsprite join us," I continued to shout; the souls and hearts of all I loved and cared about were with us, and it was going to be enough. "Serenity's St. Joan, come to the field now! Mai's Harpie Lady! Bakura's White Magical Hat! And I am not summoning any Egyptian God cards, Yami, so drop that idea."

The monsters lined up in front of us, all posed for battle. And with a cry of attack, they unleashed all their power at the Exodia in front of us. Light exploded everywhere.

And that was the last thing I remember before the strength faded completely from me. And I passed out.


	16. The Determination of a Pharaoh

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

_Hey readers,  
_

_This is Erin here. Well, as you know, I haven't updated this in at least almost a year. I'm sorry to say, but I lost inspiration for it, and I think it's because of the last few chapters. So, what I have done is delete the chapters formerly known as A Former Pharaoh and Surrender and Depart. This story will continue from The End of the Beginning, so this is the newest chapter which is a rewrite of A Former Pharaoh. So go from The End of the Beginning to this chapter, please! Also, if I don't update this for a while, remember, I will most definitely finish this. Also, to Writer_Of_Light: I took your corrections into consideration, and I think from now on I hopefully am void from the repetition moments; if I do continue, please alert me! Thanks so much for the criticism, it really helped._**  
**

* * *

"Meta?' Yami pleaded to me; his voice broke through my subconsciousness as I began to retrieve the awareness of my surroundings and the current situation at hand. "Meta - please... I swear to God, you'd better wake up this instant or so help me God, I will use the scepter on you. Please... You did it, Meta... You defeated Exodia on your own."

"Hush, my child," a voice I did not recognize spoke at the end of Yami's rambling speech of distress, "You must have patience. Your dear friend, as courageous and noble and as strong as they come, has lost much strength in the harsh battle. She must be granted time to rest in order to gain back what faded in the fight. Rest assured, she will recover to full height. Perhaps you should rest as well?"

"Not until I know that Meta will be all right," Yami protested in a shrill panic. "She just has too. This is Meta Moto - she can do anything... That's why I love her." I could feel pressure thrumming in my chest, and his words truly meant the world to me.

"Dear one, you speak as if you truly care about Meta," the voice pressed on, a hint of satisfaction coming to the edge of the seems. "You must really care deeply for her... Do you have feelings for your best friend?" I'd imagine that the dream-like figure I had conjured up was smiling smugly._ Yami's a stubborn ass, there's no way he'd admit he cares for me, Voice._

"She's best friend," Yami reassured the voice; I felt him grasp my hand for dead life. I wished I could reply back, but no matter how much strength I gathered, I could not make my limbs follow my directions.

"Both your hearts have never once weakened throughout this entire ordeal," the voice answered, and although in deep slumber, I am sure the owner of the voice smiled softly. "It is quite remarkable. I've encountered some forms of this during my human life, but alas, the last I saw of such strength was long ago."

"We can't lose faith," Yami quipped in response. "We need to save the world."

"Save the world tomorrow, young one," the voice responded with as much wisdom as one could bear.

"But-"

"Right now, you must sleep," the voice advised. "You still have a long way to complete on your journey as well. I promise, all will be well."

The voices faded away soon after - as did I. To a place where dreams of that made more sense lingered.

* * *

It felt as if heavy weights had settled upon my eye lids - opening them proved to be rather quite difficult. But as I did, I became aware of my position laid upon a makeshift bed on top of rocks and sand. I appeared to be sheltered in a cave along the shores of the famous Egyptian river many knew as the Nile. Blinking away blurriness from my eyes, I noticed Yami laying directly besides me. A dark figure was hovering above, over both our slumbering forms.

"Good to see you awake, little one," the figure announced in greeting; his eyes sparkled. "Gave me and your friend quite a scare there for a while."

In no offense to the stranger - then and there he had sounded as if a pedophile. But his looks said otherwise. Dressed in royal garbs, he was most defiantly born and raised in noble as well as palace blood. At first glance, I could guess he was the Pharaoh at one point or another. And it was that concept that made my assumption proved correct at further glimpses. It was that which led me to notice that his facial structure was uncannily similar to that of Atem's. As was the sparkle in his eyes and warmth in his eyes and the color of them - rare violet. He must be related to the current Pharaoh in this time. My mind instinctively whispered to me the answer; though, I was rather reluctant to believe it.

"You are King Aknamkanon, aren't you?" I whispered, a petty voice caught in the howling winds of a raging storm. "You are Atem's father. Atem, our Atem, is your son..."

"Indeed I am, little one," the past King mused, impressed by my observation and taken back by my bluntness. "Though, please, if you must, call me Aka. That name was always a mouthful for any one. So difficult to pronounce."

"Aka," I murmured as I pondered the thought to myself. "I thought you were dead. Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"I am, Meta," Aka answered softly, desperately trying not to wake up a slumbering Yami; I respected the old Pharaoh for that action. "I am the Guardian of the Millennial - the Millennium Cave. Though, once the next Pharaoh passes, which in this case would be my son, Atem, he then shall serve the term under the next. So on and so forth. Do you understand that?"

As my mind began to comprehend the current situation at hand, I also began to wonder where the hell I was. Did Yami and I win against Exodia? Were our monsters, each a part of our friends' and families' souls, formidable enough to persevere long enough to defeat the Ancient Power? Why was Aka here exactly? Did I die? Did Yami die? Where were we? Were we in the Afterlife? Could we ever go back to our time, five thousand years ahead of this time in Ancient Egypt? What was going on? The questions raced and swarmed through my head a million miles per millisecond. I was getting a headache from my penalizations and many observations.

"What now?" I questioned quietly as I subconsciously pleaded the former Pharaoh of Egypt to return Yami and me home. "Did I defeat Exodia? Or did me and Yami die?"

"You prevailed, Meta," Aka told me with a smile of clear victory as well as amazement. "They say the young, nor most for that matter, could ever stand up to the Forbidden One - yet here you stand in front of me, soaring in plain victory. By handing over Exodia's defeat, you and your dear friend have passed the test. You have both managed to unlock the powers of the Millennium Cave. It is yours to do with as you wish."

As of then, I knew I had one wish alone - to go back home. But I needed one thing first, because without the golden star chip, there was no absolute way to bring Atem back. Closing my eyes, I turned to face Aka once more. "I need my father's star chip. I think shadows took it when I traveled back in time." It then occurred me that perhaps Aka was not aware of our predicament. Gathering up my strength, I leaned forward, cocking my head in curiosity. "Does any of what I'm saying make sense to you?"

Aka chuckled in response. "Your friend was careful in explaining things. Do not fret. He told of the journey you two are taking some time in the future. He will not tell me how you are both aware of my identity as well as the Millennium Cave, merely that he and you must return to your present or the world shall fall. Needless to say, the vague recollection isn't much, but I sense that your intentions are pure."

I nodded, pride rising me at Yami's actions. He did learn something. "So if you know everything, about that star chip..."

"Dear child, your fears are somewhat of truth. The shadows attempted to steal what was not rightfully theirs and ended up influencing your jump into the time - the past. You requested at to which time to be delivered to was received wrong, and you were dropped off here. The Millennium Cave cannot grant to you which upon that of which you all ready acquire. The shadows' intent was to get you out of the way. So using magic of their own, they transported you to Ancient Egypt - garbs and all. They also misplaced your star chip."

"First off... I all ready have the star chip?" I replied in confusion. "And the shadows used magic to transport us here. In doing so, they are messing with a power of the Millennium Puzzle. A greater power in at work here... Ain't there?"

Before Aka could answer, a voice snarled from behind me and him through tight lips. "Come again? You telling us that Meta's had the star chip this entire time? And we stood up against Exodia for nothing? We were accused of trying to murder the present Pharaoh of Egypt for nothing? And we were haunted by a mysterious guy in a bathrobe for no reason?"

"For Ra's sake, child," Aka proclaimed with a sharp frown; he narrowed his eyes in confusion and pity. "What have you two journeyed to accomplish in the first place? And you were accused of murdering my own son? My my, dear one... You were correct to say when you spoke of the many hardships you and Meta faced..."

"Wait," Yami said in astonishment; his eyes widened in alarm as the truth dawned on the unsuspecting teen. "Atem is your son? Aka... short for Aknamkanon... Oh my god... Holy Kuriboh!"

"For the record," I clarified, eyes flashing with sarcasm and amusement. "I claim and copyright 'Holy Kuriboh'! That is my catch phrase! Got it, Wheeler?"

The fellow teenager shrugged. "Just trying to lighten the mood." He faced the former Pharaoh, lips set in a resolute expression. "Why didn't you tell me all this earlier?"

"You never asked," he answered calmly.

I snickered under my breath before the priority at hand came back to me. "What did you mean when you said I already had the star chip?"

"Check your shoe," Aka commanded rather bluntly.

And upon further study, I withdrew the gleaming item from inside my Egyptian foot wear; Yami looked like he was about to kill and or hit and attack someone at the realization that we risked everything for nothing. "So that was what was hurting me all this time. I thought it was just a rock and we really didn't have time to do anything about it..."

"Meta, you remind me so much of my son," Aka commented with a wry smile. "Just who are you two?"

Yami, though smiling rather smugly, managed to let his gaze flicker to the former Pharaoh's face. "Let's just review. We are from the future. We have a golden, time traveling star chip. And we know of Egyptian past. Let's just say we are Protectors of the Present Future."

I shook my head and ushered towards the star chip with Aka. "Now what? We have the star chip? So we can just zap ourselves to the time before we came here and erase all memories of us ever being in the past..."

"True," Aka resigned with a grin. "But I will personally take care of that for you. As the Guardian of the Millennium Cave, I hereby am allowed to permit you to use its power!"

"Use its power how?" I questioned in my trilling, high soprano voice.

"Bring someone back from the dead; a vision from the future; change the past," Aka listed with a smug smile. "But I will take care of the past existence for you."

Yami stepped forward. "So is that our wish? You can erase any traces of us being here in the past?"

Aka nodded and gestured for us to join hands. When Yami and I clasped ours together, I met his star with new-found determination. No matter what happened between us now, I knew that we'd continue the battle for all the right reasons. We had no time to make mistakes, and there was nothing that would stop us. We were ready. Aka bowed his head and murmured a few words before turning back to us.

"Take care, young ones," he whispered.

* * *

"Meta?" Yami asked softly as we collapsed onto my bed back in Domino City. I mentally noted to take lessons from the past Pharaoh in the art of time traveling. "Are you okay?" The worry was evident in his tone; though, I felt no need to answer him immediately. "Meta, answer me."

"I am not going to do that again any time soon," I said, running a hand through my hair. I fully expected to find the dyed locks hanging in my line of vision; however, pure black greeted me, and I let a small smile grace my hair. Atem's father was definitely on my favorite's list. "We're going to the Ceremonial Duel really soon, don't worry, Yam. I just need to get something." Mercilessly, I stormed over to my closet and shifted through the clothes, grabbing a small box. Pulling it out, I wrenched off the top and stared at its contents. What lay inside was a card locket (a gift from Kaiba for my fifteenth birthday). I slipped Obelisk and Slifer into the slot, clicking it shut and turning to face Yami.

"Don't trust the God cards in your deck?" Yami questioned as I secured the piece of jewelry close; it caught on the hair that danced across the nape of my neck.

I nodded, rolling my weight to my right foot as I crossed my arms. "With the shadows nearly stealing the star chip, I have to be careful about the God cards. I don't know why Dad gave them to me, but I do know that I need to be careful with them." Yami sent me a sharp smirk, tilting his head with comprehension. "I've got my duel disk, my deck, the God cards, and the star chip." I threw my hands down, clenching them into tight fists. "I have to bring Atem back, and I have everything I need. I'm ready."

"That's the Meta I know," Yami mused and smiled. "I'm ready too. I got my lucky duel disk and deck here."

Yami and I connected our eyes in a steely glare. Determination oozed from our forms, and even though I knew I was ready, I wanted nothing more than to give up, but that option was not possible to check into. The concept of surrender was not plausible and certainly unattainable. I vaguely wondered how my parents and their friends did it all those years ago. Of course, they had the assistance of Atem, a Great Pharaoh. Atem had experience with the battles they faced and the obstacles they were forced to overcome. I had nothing but the genes, my friends, and the Heart of the Cards.

"I'm scared," I admitted, and I felt Yami show his agreement by stepping forward, wrapping his arms around me. "Everyone who could help us is being kidnapped by people who want to kill us." My eyes blazing in anger. "Atem is dead... How the hell do we bring the dead back to life?"

Yami paused, and I felt his shoulders heave forward with a sigh. "We are both afraid of losing our families, don't think you're alone here, all right, Meta? We're going to find a way. That's why we're going back to the Duel... We have too. Remember, we can't give up."

From that moment on, Yami and I had a certain understanding with one another. Sure, we are best friends, but our communication is improving to a point that we can spare one another a single glance – and with that glance, we exchange an entire conversation. And at my friend's words, I know one thing. It will be tough; I will be frightened. But under no circumstances shall I give up.

I glanced up, and Yami tightened his grip on me. I buried my head in his jacket, closing my eyes, a solitary tear rolling down my cheek. "I wish..." I held the star chip in my hand tightly. "I wish to get back to the Ceremonial Duel. I wish to see Yugi and Atem dueling. I wish to stay hidden from everyone's view. I wish to know."


	17. The Ceremonial Duel's Ending

**Eternity Sealed Away**

_Generation's Past_

It was like a storm brewing, wind howling in the background, as Yami and I landed on the rocky ground, coming to rest against the stone wall behind us. I shook my head, running a hand through my midnight locks, gazing at my friend beside me. Yami's eyes blazed with determination, and he looked more serious than I had ever known him to be. He blinked wearily though, and I knew the exhaustion I was feeling tinged his frayed nerves as well. No matter how much rest he and I obtained, whenever we flashed through time, we always were rendered tired and unmoving. Silently, I shifted myself to a more comfortable position, still looking at Yami. When he met my stare, a thin smirk adjourned his face, but suddenly, a look akin to disbelief crossed it.

"No way," he breathed, the tone barely audible in the cave. "That's not possible... I mean, I knew that we'd go back, but I never thought..."

I lifted myself off of the ground, resting my weight on my knees as Yami pulled me to a standing position. I followed his vision, eyes widening in shock. "No fucking way," I echoed, reaching a hand out to the scene in front of me. There, as real as broad daylight, stood my father and a taller duplicate across from him. "No way." I knew it was real - from the throbbing in my palms, the rocks digging into them, I knew it was reality, but it was too good to be true.

Both stood on a long, stone stage, duel disks poised to fight. I glanced down at the one strapped on my arm before turning my attention back to the scene in front of me. They were exact matches, and a warm smile graced me. I truly was like my father – attitude, appearance, and now – deck and disk. The taller, seemingly more mature, Yugi summoned an unknown monster, his voice deep and mysterious. It was becoming more and more apparent that my present-day father was much like this one.

"It's Atem," I whispered, a single tear tracing my cheek. Yami grinned, teeth and all, as we continued to watch the Ceremonial Duel. "It's really him. We did it, Yami."

We both embraced, our arms tangled in delight. Was it truly possible? After all this time, the answer to our prayers was directly in front of us. If we took his back to the future, we could save my father, my mother, Yami's parents, and our friends – the entire world – from the Shadows. However, as soon as relief struck my mind, my heart throbbed with disappointment. I soon realized that if I took Atem from the past, there'd never be a future to save. This Pharaoh made my Pharaoh who he is today – it's because of him I exist. There had to be another way to bring him back with us – but how on Earth could we do so?

Grasping Yami's hand in mine, I pulled him forward to get a better view of the duel currently progressing. The site of my father battling was hypnotic. I wondered why he had quit, why he had never pushed to teach me the Heart of the Cards later on in life, and why he agreed to hide this part of his life. This Duel was pumping adrenaline through me, my veins thrumming through the skin. It was addicting, actually. Narrowing my eyes with concentration, I pushed towards the stage once more, but my friend held me back.

I whirled around, hissing, "What the hell, Yami?"

He gestured towards the crowd observing on the other side of the cave. I let my eyes flicker across them, analyzing their familiar face. Younger versions of the people I knew now a days. Joey, Tea, Bakura, Tristan, Solomon, Kaiba… Many more weren't easily recognizable; however, I understood them to be the people who affected the Pharaoh's (and my father's) life. I resigned to the fact that it was not possible to get closer without affecting the past.

"I understand," I answered, lingering in the shadows with Yami next to me.

And together, we watched the Ceremonial Duel continue. We soaked it all in, letting solitary tears race down our faces, and occasionally smile at the antics of the past.

* * *

"So this duel is still on!" Yugi cried out, and I gasped as the Millennium Box opened, showing the Monster Reborn card Atem had just played.

Glee stripped all regret and remorse from my heart as I witnessed the final moments of the Duel. A laser light show danced across the ceiling of the cave, and I winced as a bit glinted off of the Eye of the Puzzle my father had given me in the future. The glare was aimed back towards Atem and Yugi, but neither paid attention to the small distraction versus Slifer's demises.

"My dad wasn't kiddin' when he said the Duel was a light show," Yami said, his Brooklyn accent shining through his speech. I nodded with comprehension, blocking the lights from my already dilated pupil.

"Loving your dad's dance," I remarked, ushering Yami's gaze to Joey's victory steps, tangoing across the temple. A slight giggle escaped my lips, and I resisted the urge to think of Yami's expression to my girlish actions. "This is wicked."

"He must have had this planned from the beginning. I guess, after spending so much time with the Pharaoh, Yugi knew exactly what he would play," Tea said, and I leaned against the wall, observing my mother. She was so much like me; sometimes, I forgot that I was like her after being compared to Dad throughout my fifteen years.

"Go on, your move." I whipped my head in Atem's direction, still shell-shocked by the fact that he sounded so much like my father. It was surreal in a different type of way.

Yugi paused, trembling with tears; I gazed at him, wondering just how difficult the predicament was to follow through with. I saw myself in his eyes, amethyst blending together, and his knees trembled. "He was so focused," I said under my breath, Yami tightening his grip on my shoulder. "He didn't know he was sending his other self away, did he?"

Yami agreed, his head shaking in the midst of the shadows. "Your father just played to win. He knew what was best." I sent my father a soft glare, urging to finish the duel; I could see tears shining behind his closed lids, and I mentally nudged him with my heart. As if I was a part of him, my father acted on my wishes, drawing a card from his deck, a smile dancing across his lips. "See, Meta? He's just like you when you duel."

"All right!" My father bellowed out, voice screeching off of the walls. It was bit high pitched, still at seventeen. "Silent Magician, attack his life points directly!" The sorcerer spun his staff, flashes of black and red disappearing into the rainbow of colors from the attack.

I gulped back a lump in my throat as a strong wind hustled throughout the cave, strands of my hair blowing out of my face. The shock waves from Atem's defeat ignited my bones, jarring them from their frozen state. Was this really how it ended? Reminiscing on Joey's stories of the End, I closed my eyes, feeling the wet lashes burn against my flushed cheeks. Breathing deeply and evenly, I remembered the past, understanding Shadi's words finally. _"You must first cross the End of the Beginning, the same waters your father, Yugi, once crossed two decades before you."_

The End of the Beginning for my parents, their waters – more specifically, the waters my father crossed – was overcoming the fear of being alone. Facing the biggest challenge for him was dueling his equal in so many ways. It was the end of the beginning of his life. I understood it now. Shadi knew I would be coming to the End of the Beginning - the Ceremonial Duel - and there was something here that would help me get Atem back in our future. There was no plausible way to kidnap an ancient Pharaoh and send his twenty years into the present without certain consequences to our time line.

As the Duel ended, Yugi collapsed onto his knees, body shaking with sadness and regret. I knew that no matter how much he wished Atem could stay, how much he truly didn't want his closest friend to leave, he had to do what was best for the Great King. His silver tears glittered the stone stage below him, shoulders heaving forward with each gasp of air he inhaled. It was like an inner earthquake; he couldn't stop shaking. My own waterworks threatened to fall even harder, and I held them back with a small, subdued sniffle. Yami tightened his grip around me, and I leaned my head against his chest. This moment was the turning point for Atem and my father - it was heartbreakingly beautiful.

Atem stalked forward, as much as a Pharaoh as he had been five thousand years ago. His face held a strong smile, and though he shed no tears, I could automatically tell that he was holding them back for Yugi's sake. His footsteps reverberated amidst the silence, the boots a replica of what Yugi wore in the future. My facial features softened as he cocked his head, amethyst eyes deep and soulful.

"Congratulations," he stated, his baritone voice soothing. "Well done." Yugi did not respond, only let those tears fall faster. Atem finally knelt next to Yugi and placed a hand tenderly on his shoulder. "Yugi, a champion does not belong on his knees. You achieved a great victory for us both."

"I... was focusing so hard on playing the game... that I forgot... what winning this duel would actually mean," Yugi stammered through all those cascading tears. "By defeating you, I have sent you away for good." My breath caught in my throat at my father's confession.

"No, Yugi," Atem countered in a calm voice. "You have opened the doors for me. Thanks to you, my spirit can finally be at rest once again. I will be back where I belong. Fate brought the two of us together for a reason. And we have fulfilled our destiny." There and then, the spirit sounded like my father - that confident and reassuring nature of his was duplicated all these years ago. This is where it had begun. With that said, Yugi gazed at the Pharaoh with shining eyes and falling tears, mouth hung open agape at Atem's truthful words. Atem placed two hands on both of his two shoulders and aided him in standing up tall. "We protected man kind from the return of the Shadow Games. And we have both grown tremendously a long the way."

I stepped back into the shadows, Yami following my actions as we let the two have their goodbyes said as it was meant too. Even though we were closer to the duo than their audience, we could still vaguely hear wisps of their conversation. Even Joey hadn't hear a word exchanged between the partners after the conclusion of the duel, so who were Yami and I to interfere? However, Yami suddenly poked my side, gesturing towards the duo.

"Looks like another light show," he warned, the Eye of Horus aglow with magic. "Amazing, he left..." Yami remarked. "Just like that."

I shook my head. "No, wait... See! They're all trying to stop him."

"Too bad they didn't succeed," Yami answered.

I grabbed my friend's arm, resting my head on his shoulder, the tears still falling. I was such an emotional person during this escapade. _I am the son of King Aknamkanon. My name is Atem. (Atem). (Atem). (Atem.) _The rich, deep, bellowing alto echoed, ringing through my ears like a lullaby, singing my heart to sleep. I wondered why I was being hurt by this so much. This man I didn't even know, never even met, was leaving, and I felt the pain my father and his friends shared. _I'm dying_: that was the first thought I could manage to think of as I grasped at my chest frantically, feeling my fingers contract as they desperately tried to fill the mental hole in my heart. It was breaking – I could literally feel the tears and cracks that were beginning to show. I think it was a natural human instinct, gripping the place where the metaphorically heart is supposed to be.

I don't know why, but it felt like my heart was shattering, though I could still feel the hollow thuds ever few moments. There was the loss of breath, but you could still hear the gasps of air and feel the trembling shoulders heave forward with every ragged draw of oxygen. A tremor of numbness passed over, but you could still feel the sweat and pain and tears molding and washing over you. Pure agony. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply, waiting for the pain to pass. I reopened, my orbs glazed over with so many emotions, it was a wonder I could even see.

"Meta," Yami questioned, ducking his gaze to meet mine, "Are you gonna be 'okay?"

"Yes," I answered. "I just... It's hard. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't know what this man meant to my parents."

"They did the right thing," was the only reply Yami offered. "They couldn't let him stay. You know, because if they forced Atem to stay, then they'd be taking his freedom from him."

"I know, but it's still sad."

"He's as much a part of you as he is Yugi," he pressed. "If people say you're just like Yugi, then you're just like Atem too, Meta."

"Thank you, Yami," I whispered as genuine tears fell down my face, and I knew my friend well enough to guess that the waterfall was cascading from his own orbs as well.

We turned back to the scene in front of us, and I watched with understanding as my mother broke down in tears. I knew she cared for the Pharaoh - that much was a given. But I also now comprehended why she acted that way. She was heartbroken to lose her close friend. Heartbreak can kill a person. The ripping of the heart. The want to no longer go on living life, wanting to wallow in self pity and drown in the "what could have been." The sadness, feeling like you will never stop shedding the genuine tears. The loss of breath. The empty feeling inside, void of hopes to be whole again. Being stabbed with a knife, each memory of life slashing your already broken heart. Heaviness. Pure agony. Death of your heart, of your vital organs. No happiness. Just sadness. Just pain. This was how Tea felt, yet, despite everything, she kept the march up through those school doors every day, side-by-side with her future husband, finally realizing how much she cared for Atem's Hikari, my father.

The light was fading as Atem moved through the Spirit Realm, his modern-day clothing transforming into his Pharaoh garbs, cloak billowing out behind his form. I let a small smile cross my face, the tears seizing as I realized how much strength my father must have gotten from reliving this scene, over and over and over again.

"Is that it?" Yami breathed. I nodded, sensing the ending to the journey that taken over the course of four years.

Suddenly, though, my reverie was interrupted by a shaking. _The tomb's collapsing! _My mouth opened wide as I remembered what exactly happened _after_ Atem left. Joey hadn't exactly gone into detail with this part of the adventure; I whipped my body around, gazing at Yami with sudden panic. However, what greeted me was him digging his hand into my pocket, withdrawing the star chip and clasping his hand in mine.

"I wish to see Yugi and Atem-" His words were swallowed up, much with my protest at his using of the magic.

Suddenly, smoke and dust entered my vision, forcing my eyes to shut. The next thing I knew, the floor was gone from below my feet, and I was free falling into the never ending darkness. _Yami! _I attempted to yell, but my voice didn't exist and my hand left his grasp. I threw my arms into the air, searching for something to halt my descent. I clamped down on a stone, praying it wouldn't budge. Eventually, though, things died down and I was left alone, suspended above the darkness.

If I knew at least one thing after our adventures together to the past - it would be to never trust Yami with the power that my father had bestowed upon me. After numerous occurrences, heaven only knew when Yami would mess up once again and possible ruin or alter the future that was ours. But in no way, shape, or form did I expect to be where I was now - clinging to a piece of rock that was literally, my life line right now. And all I could think about were the two conclusions I had finally found the strength to draw up: one, I was going to die, and two, it was all Yami's fault. However, I knew I couldn't blame my friend. He didn't mean to get me stuck in this position. Hell, Yami was trying to save me.

Thinking and feeling, knowing and loving, it's these traits that make human beings real and whole. They make them complete, and it's horrendous how many times these traits break them as well. They heal and destroy. Uncanny really, quite frightening too. It was the only thing that reassured me, though, that he'd come back for me.


	18. Truth About the Future

Time had no meaning, though I knew it was passing. In huge leaps and lunges, it drug on, seeming to freeze; it went by at a sloth's pace. I found myself fighting for my own right to keep breathing, and the dust was stirring as I struggled to position myself in a comfortable form. I wondered how long it had been since the tomb collapsed, separating me from the rest of the past and Yami. Something deep within nudged me to keep my faith up, worrying about my undecided future was not going to keep me from panicking. However, my mind seemed to be doing a good job at that. I felt as if this was the inevitable end – all the work we had done, everything that we had fought for… It was worth nothing now. I was going to die here, and there was nothing I could do to stop fate's work.

Nonetheless, I held on with all my might to that single stone which kept be from falling to my death. I could feel the strength fading away from me with each beat of my heart, the pulse a rapid thunder in my head, but I followed the sound as a distraction from the time. Nothing I had been through could prepare me for this near death experience, but I knew it was closing in on the end. While it might have only been a few minutes, I found it to be hours even, days perhaps. It was like I was caught in a vast void of nothingness.

I tried relentlessly to regulate my breathing pattern as the nerves kicked in. I absently counted the number of seconds I could hold my breath before letting it out. The action was a way of keeping my mind off of the current situation at hand, as if I was delaying death itself. However I could accomplish it – with denial or acceptance – it was working. With a soft chuckle, I rolled my eyes, wondering how it was my luck to get stuck in this situation. More times than most, it was Yami who found himself in life threatening predicaments. I guess the Shadows decided to place a target on my back. One of the old gag signs that told Karma to _KICK ME_. I let a small smile grace my face, the light hearted giggle echoing into the deep ravine below me; it seemed to go on forever.

A dense cocoon of stillness had settled over the area, rendering the silent night to begin. No light pierced through the darkness, so I could only assume that it was night time. Then again, I was underground. My observations were not reliable on any accounts. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before opening them, looking down at the swirl of nothingness. Blowing out the breath I held in, I felt the stone I clung to with my fingers. It seemed sturdy enough to hold my weight, but for how long? The cold of the cave nipped at my limps, shivers rocketing down my spine. I clasped my hands tighter to the rock; my fingers were white from the pressure I applied. I was shaking uncontrollably – either from the arctic air or panic or stress or my own weight, one couldn't be sure. All I knew was that time was running out.

At this thought, I let out a low yet raspy cry as the tears welled up. I wanted so dearly to be normal, but ever since the Shadows came that fateful day, I had no chance of being so. Sniffling, I wigged closer to the stones in front of me, tears rolling down my face. I ducked my head into my own shoulder, the locks that trailed over my ears falling across my forehead in some sort of comfort. A few pebbles suddenly dropped from above, hitting my body, before fall in the dark abyss. I quickly raised my head in curiosity when the sound of shuffling feet reached my ears. My eyes widened as an even darker shadow appeared before me, someone or something obviously moving above me. Was I going to be rescued?

"Grab my hand," a gruff voice commanded me, a pale hand practically glowing amidst the darkness. "Come on, Meta."

I had no time to reminisce on where I had heard the voice before. Instead, I reached up, fearing I would fall from holding on with one hand. Pain bit into my arms, but I was embraced roughly into someone else's, pulling me away from my death. I was dragged onto a small, rocky ledge. I leaned against a person's chest, feeling it rise and fall beneath me, reminding me that I was alive and well. I was saved, but by who? Wordlessly, amidst our heavy breathing, I cocked my head to study the man in front of me. He inclined his body away from me, shuffling about before resting back on his haunches.

"Can you see me, Meta?" he questioned, and I caught sight of small glow in the center of his forehead. It was the Eye of Horus, embedded on his face; the air left me with a whoosh. "I'll take that as a yes then," he stated before hauling me to my feet. "It is unsafe here; we need to get across to the other side of the cave."

I attempted to gain a better look at my savior, but he ducked away from vision, ushering me forward with a flick of his wrist. His word of warning to watch my step had me shaking my head. That voice – one so familiar that it sent waves of comfort over me – but so different that I had not heard it for some time. My eyes looked ahead, narrowing at my observation. The ravine I had been so close to falling into was fairly narrow, not small enough so that I could have scaled it to the top, but small enough that a broad jump could do the trick. I nodded in understanding, fully comprehending the situation at hand. I was lucky my mother had taken the time to teach me dance moves when I was younger, if I leapt off the edge in a dancer's form, I could land successfully on the other side. However, I had not done the certain jump in ages. I could as easily mess it up and fall to my death.

I squinted, not that it helped much, but the Senna Eye on the stranger's face gave me some sort of light to judge the exact distance of the ravine. It was definitely shorter than I first assumed, but at the same time, it was much larger than something I had ever jumped. I placed my feet at shoulder length, preparing myself to jump across. The ravine was haunting, and I turned my head to gaze at the man who saved my life.

"Are you sure?" I questioned, and he cocked his head at my inquiry. "Is there any other way across?"

He shook his head solemnly. "I was amazed I managed to jump over here. It's the only way out, Meta, we have to get across."

The uneven ground beneath me made the daunting task seem even harder. I had not done this move in years; I was worried about the next few moments. The Eye suddenly gave a burst of light, strong enough so that I was able to spot my landing area. I whirled around to face the stranger, and my eyes widened as I caught a flash of amethyst. My lips formed a name, but the man gestured towards the ravine. There would be a time for questions later. I brushed the man away from me and backed up a few steps before taking off at a dead sprint. The air rushed past me, a wind in my ears, and just before the edge of the gorge, I bent at my knees, springing up as I was airborne. The position I was in was awkward, but I pushed past the original atypical form and propelled my legs forward, my weight following shortly after. My momentum sprang me forward, and suddenly, the cave floor was beneath me. I pitched forward, rolling over my head, and dove away from the ravine. I scrambled to my feet, attempting to regain my bearings.

The soft landing was heard from behind me, and I whipped around to see the man touch safely a foot from the gap. "You still defy gravity, just like your mother."

I pursed my lips in a resolute expression before ambling close to my savior, the Senna Eye too bright for my eyes which had become accustomed to the darkness. "You'd know, wouldn't you? Mom wanted to be a professional dancer when she was younger, right?"

"You know her well," he commented.

I crossed my arms across my chest self consciously, rolling my eyes at his words. "I have too. She's my mom."

"As I always say, 'like mother, like daughter.'"

A warm smile wormed its way past my defenses, and I stepped forward, enveloping the man in a tight embrace; he returned the action while I buried my face into his shoulder. "I missed you, Dad."

"Meta," Yugi said suddenly, his voice sounding puzzled at my actions, and he pushed me away. "I sure hope I am around in the future, or this will be a very awkward reunion." He caught sight of my tears, and the Eye on his forehead throbbed with his emotion. "Are you all right?"

"I just-" I shook my eye, wiping my eyes as I stared at my father. He returned the look, his expression strong and determined, questioning my antics. "It's been so long since the last time I saw you..." At his lost look, I could not help the single tear which trailed down my cheek. "I take it you're not my dad from the future..."

"It depends what future you mean," he answered, brushing away my tear with his thumb. "You look older than in my present. How old are you now? In my time, my daughter just turned fourteen."

I sniffled. "I'm almost sixteen now, and I'm on a mission-" Bewilderment crossed Yugi's face, and I struggled to comprehend that he had no idea of what was occurring in the present-day. It took only a beat of silence before I realized that I should not say anymore than I already had - there was no way I was going to change the future anymore than I already had. "Just... Listen, Dad, there's something big going on, and I can't tell you about it. You need to just forget about it."

He was quiet for a moment before speaking up, "I promise to never reveal what transpires here, but you must tell me why you risked your life to come here. Surely, if you knew about this time, then my past has been revealed to you in present day."

"Forced is more like it," I acknowledged, leaning against the stone wall next to me, "Let's just say something bad happened, and I'm trying to save the world."

Yugi rolled his eyes, chuckling lightly. "You are too much like your mother and me; it's scary some times."

"I know," I said, ducking my head with a sheepish expression, "It scares me too. I just hope I can survive this..."

Yugi sucked in a deep breath, his shoulders heaving forward as he coughed at the sudden dust and dirt that clogged his lungs. "Is there a particular reason you came back here other than to watch and see Atem leave?"

"I know that was your original intent, Dad," I told him, brushing the debris off of my clothes, "But yes, I'm here because I needed to know just how exactly Atem left. I need to bring him back in the future..."

Yugi's eyes widened by a large degree, and he ran a hand across his forehead in exasperation. "Oh Ra, Meta, what have you gotten yourself into?"

I shrugged half heartedly. "You created the time traveling star chip, Dad, so you know the rules you'll tell me someday. I can't risk changing the past, or else it might not be the same when I get back." He sighed to himself, nodding in reluctant agreement. "But you can help me..."

He raised his head in confusion. "With bringing Atem back?"

I affirmed his suspicions. "In the future, you told me to bring him back, I would need the Millennium Items, and you gave me this Puzzle piece-" I flashed the center part of the Millennium Puzzle in front of his face. "And said I'd need this. I'm guessing that even if this champer collapsed and buried everything, you managed to sneak back here and grab the Puzzle piece somehow... How did you do that?"

"I... Meta, I came back here right before we left Egypt," Yugi answered, gesturing for me to come closer as he pushed himself away from the way, walking towards an unknown destination. "I wanted to just... Make sure Atem passed on, that someone the Door didn't break when everything collapsed..." He pulled a few stones away from the piles of boulders surrounding us. "When I got here... The entire entrance was gone... But there was a path cleared from the top of the stairs, through the debris, and to the Door." He nodded in the direction we had previously come from: across the ravine was the stairs that led to the surface world. "It was obvious someone had been here, but I wasn't sure who. None the less, I followed the path and discovered... This."

I pushed forward, past my father who had cleared the way, my mouth dropping in shock. In front of me, the Door stood in all its magnificant glory, as if it realized that just moments before it had done its greatest deed. Whirling around, I saw that the only part of the champer that had caved in was the entrance, the entire part of the temple and Door and Millennium Stone was perfectly in tact. I saw that the Stone was cracked, however, and I concluded that it was useless. A glitter of gold caught my eye as the light from my father's Senna Eye reflected the shiny surface. All seven of the Millennium Items were here.

"Meta," Yugi continued, "When I originally came back, the Items weren't here as they were now. All that was here was the center of the Puzzle." My father reached under his jacket and withdrew the same Puzzle piece I currently had clasped in my hand. "You see, someone had been here before..."

"And that's why you came back here from your time," I announced as realization hit me, "You wanted to see who took the Items but left the Puzzle piece." At his nod, I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Dad... Is it possible that we were the ones to do it?"

"Standing here now," he said, "I would assume so. I believe that at the time, my future self met you here and told of this moment. I believe that you took the Millennium Items to the future, but you left the piece because it was meant to be... You needed to leave something behind so that I would have a reason to return... A reason to make the magic."

I narrowed my eyes. Was it possible my entire journey was so close to coming to an end? This was how it was originally supposed to go. I was meant, from the moment Dad gave me the star chip, to come back in time, grab the Millennium Items, return to the place in the future, and bring Atem back.

"Well go on," Yugi said, a sparkle in his eyes. "Take the Items, but hand me the Puzzle."

I obeyed my father, handing over the Puzzle while quickly collecting the remaining six Items in my arms. When I turned to face him, he was setting the piece down on the last step, where his past self would one day find it. I cast him a warm smile, and the light from the Senna Eye dimmed slightly so that I could see his own.

"Good luck, Meta," he whispered under his breath, adding the Puzzle to my tower of Items. "I assume you shall be returning to your time."

"Well," I drawled out, cheeks flushed. "Yami's with me, and he has the star chip. I fell down into the ravine when he tried to send us back. He left, I didn't. I'm sort of stranded here."

Yugi chuckled, the low timber voice echoing amidst the dark chamber. "Such a crazy boy. Should I give you-"

"Nah," a voice suddenly interrupted, and we both gasped, turning to face a figure in the middle of the darkness. "I think I got her, Mr. Mouto. I'll take good care of her this time."

Yami's face was visible, and he ducked his head in greeting as my father approached him, "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to hear the plan," he answered and faced me, loading his arms up with a few Items, easing my burden. "I came back a few minutes ago to try to save Meta after I ended up in the future without her. Tell you what, scared the crap out of me, but luckly you got her. It's nice to see you again, been a while."

Yugi smiled wryly. "I take it I'm not around in the future?"

Yami laughed. "Wish I could tell you, but that would mess some things up. Besides Meta's probably told you enough to worry about us." He slung an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. "We'd better get going. You know, a future to save."

"Good luck."

"Bye, Dad," I said, tears filtering into my eyes, "I love you."

"Goodbye, Meta, see you soon."

Yami winked and held the star chips up, but I interrupted him before he could use its power. "Wait! Dad, how is the Senna Eye on your head? That means you'd have to be using magic from the Items.."

My father merely shook his head in response and held the Puzzle piece in the air. "This piece still has power, though seperated from the rest."

I nodded with comprehension and closed my eyes. Yami clunched the star chip in his fist and looked at me. I pursed my lips with concentration before whispering, "You know where we want to go."

And we faded into oblivion.


	19. Author's Note

**Dearest Readers,**

I started this story when I was 13 year old, nearly 4 and a half years ago.  
I am rereading this and am appalled by how horrible this quality of writing is.  
I can't believe I had people who stuck with it for so long, and don't get me wrong, I am extremely thankful.  
But let's face it. The characters are OOC, the grammar is weird, the POV switches, and Meta is a Mary-Sue.  
I am so embarrassed by this and can't believe I ever wrote something like it.  
I want to finish it, believe me, because it is my first story on here. So I am just going to leave it up to you guys.  
If you want it to continue, then please tell me. If not, feel free to critique it in a review.

Thanks for reading,

Erin


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